28 



GREAT GAME ANIMALS. 



front keel bearing- irregular prominences and notches. In 

 Europe this Goat was formerly abundant in the Grecian Archi- 

 pelago, although it now remains only in Crete and Antimilo. It is 

 one of the most active of the Goats, taking leaps of great length 

 with unerring precision. One animal that missed its foothold and 

 fell, is recorded to have saved itself by falling on its horns. In 

 Sind and Baluchistan Pasang are found on barren, rocky hills, 

 but in Asia Minor they frequent forest-clad slopes. The Sind 

 race is distinguished as C. hircus blythi (1 083)— commonly known 

 among sportsmen as the Sind Ibex ; and the small Cretan race as 

 C. hircus cretensis (1084). 

 ftalU Numerous breeds of domesticated Goats (C. hircus) — some 



represented by animals that have reverted to a wild condition — 

 are exhibited in the North Hall. Among these, the Angora breed 

 is famed for the length and silkiness of its long white coat ; while 

 the brown Sudan, or Theban, breed is noteworthy for the absence 

 of horns in both sexes and its general Sheep-like appearance. The 

 Goats that have run wild in the Azores are remarkable for the 

 straightness and close approximation of their long horns ; a skull 

 and horns (presented by Major Chaves) are shown. 

 [Lower Ibex ^ e ^ rue ^ ex are 1>e P resen ted by four very closely 



Mammal > allied species; viz.: C. ibex (1085) of the Alps, 



Case^i'.] ^ ^ C - Sirica (1086) of the Himalaya, Thian Shan, 

 and Siberia, C. nubiana (1087) of Arabia and Upper Eygpt, and 

 C. walie (1088) of Abyssinia. Most are characterised by their 

 more or less uniform coloration, and by the long scimitar-like horns 

 having their front surface broad, flattened, and ornamented by 

 a number of bold transverse knots, or ridges. As a wild animal 

 the Alpine Ibex, or Steinbok, is now nearly exterminated, although 

 some herds are preserved in one or two valleys on the Piedmont 

 side of Monte Rosa. The Himalayan, or Siberian Ibex is a larger 

 animal, with longer horns and a fuller beard. It is represented by 

 several local races, such as the one from the Thian-Shan (fig. 9). 

 The other two species are distinguished by the form of their horns. 

 Ibex inhabit crags and upland grazing-grounds near the snow- 

 level, descending to lower elevations in winter, and sometimes 

 coming near the neighbourhood of villages. Although they 

 occasionally congregate in large numbers, they are usually found 

 in flocks of from six to about twenty head. 



