OF NEPAL. 



I 



•I 



147 



NOTE 



Containing further information respecting the Ovis Nayaur. 



Since the paper on the Ovis Nayaur was written, I have received a complete stuffed 

 skin, but sadly distorted and injured, of a j^oung male Nayaur. Though the animal when 

 he died was not above eight months' old, he must have measured four feet in length from 

 the nape to the insertion of the tail, and nearly three in height at the shoulder. He has a 

 double coat exactly of the same character as, and rather thicker and longer than the 

 Chirus ; whence it follows that the slight differences observed upon in the course of the 

 paper ware only the consequence of confinement, change of climate, and perhaps sex also, 

 in respect to the Nayaur. From much conversation that I had with the BJiotea who 

 brought me the skin of the young male Nayaur, I now incline to believe that I was mis- 

 taken in s'.ipposing there are two species of wild sheep in these regions. The Bharal of 

 one dialect is probably the Nayaur of another ; and the Himalayan wild sheep, most 

 likely, only a variety of that widely diU'used species, Ovis Argali ; though I confess I can- 

 not reconcile LiNNiEUS' or Shaw's descriptions of the horns of the Nayaur. The young 

 iVayaMr just received has the wool and greater part of the hair, beneath the surface, dull 

 purplish gray slaty ; merged in more superficial hues of rusty brown, above, and of impure 

 hoary, below. The lips and inferior surface of the head, and insides of the shoul lcix and 

 thighs, pure white: superior surface of the head, like the body above, but paler . no dark 

 marks ou the limbs. Hanks or forehead, us in the female: neither this young malr nor the 

 female before described, have any appearance of that peculiar elongation of tin- luiir upon 

 the pectoral surface of the net k for \\\\u\\ (). Arf/ali is conspicuous.- Hut tin- (ire uni- 

 Stance is no way decisive, owing lo the \ outli of tin- om- ami the Icmininc gcinlcr ot the 

 other — such appendages most usually ai)[)crtaiuiiig e\clusi\ i l\ to mature males. As the 



