DISTRIBUTION AND HABITS OF ARGALI SHEEP 147 



to 14,000 feet in the neighbourhood of the upper Narin. In 

 winter it is found at much lower altitudes. 



Carruthers writes about the haunts of carelini : (Unknown 

 Mong., p. 562). "At the top of an outlying bluff, overlooking 

 a likely little valley, we settled for a thorough spying. At 

 our feet ran a small stream carrying the melting snow from 

 the drifts far above down to Borotala; from each side of this 

 short valley rose steep slopes broken into numerous small 

 hollows. Eight at its head, and just below the shale, two 

 herds of rams were to be seen feeding among some ancient 

 grass-covered moraines ; there were six in one lot and eleven 

 in the other " 



(P. 558-9). "As we moved up the ever-narrowing valley ; 

 a few gazelles were sighted, but in absolutely unstalkable 

 positions. Here and there bleached sheepheads lay about; 

 they were very uniform in shape, unlike the mixed types met 

 with on the Yuldus and in appearance intermediate between 

 ammon and poli. ' ' 



(P. 604). "On the following day, while driving along the 

 main road, we saw a herd right down on the plain at the foot 

 of the hills and certainly not more than 1,000 feet above 

 sea-level." 



Habits of Ovis littledalei (Tianshan). 

 Not stated but presumably like those of O. carelini. 



Habits of Ovis sairensis. 



Description of its territory by Carruthers (Unknown 

 Mong., p. 551). "Before moving into the Borotala we spent 

 two days in hunting on the Western Maili plateau, almost 

 overlooking the Dzungarian Gate. 



This plateau is formed of innumerable small hills and 

 follows, the former being of a very uniform height — some- 

 thing like a sheet of corrugated iron, except that, instead 

 of being parallel, they were jumbled up in hopeless con- 

 fusion. There were no commanding position for spying, so 

 all we could do was to ride along on the chance of coming 

 upon game." 



Characters and dimensions of Wild Sheep. 

 Ovis Amnion. 



An old male of this giant sheep has a height at the 

 shoulder of over 50 inches and carries horns that exceed 

 60 inches in length and 20 inches girth at the base (Record 

 measures). 40 



40 Carruthers : Unknown Mongolia, p. 320. 



