MAMMALIA. 



81 



Wild sheep of TMan-S/tan, Biddulph, P, Z. S., 1875, p. 157. 



Ovis heinsi ? W. Blanf., J.A.S.B., 1875, xliv, Pt. 2, p. 112, nec Severtzoff. 



Kulja, Turki of Kashghar. 



At or Ghuljdr, $ ; Arka (?Arhdn) ? ; Khirgliiz. 1 



1-7, $ , 8 — 11, $ ; skins, 12, skeleton, head wanting ; unlabelled, but apparently all from the mountain ranges 

 north-west of Kashghar. 



A large collection of specimens of the wild sheep inhabiting the mountains north-west 

 of Kashghar was made by Dr. Stoliczka 2 ; but after his death a considerable part of the 

 collection, including all the finest specimens, was distributed with the consent of the Govern- 

 ment, the greater portion becoming private property. The distribution was made with so 

 little care and with so wanton a disregard of the interests of Government, to whom the 

 collection belonged, and of Dr. Stoliczka's memory, that even the heads belonging to two 

 skeletons, especially prepared, of Ovis karelini and Copra sihirica, were given away. There 

 is reason to believe that two skulls of the true O. poll of the Pamir were brought away 

 by Dr. Stoliczka, but both were removed from the collection before it reached the Indian 

 Museum. 



Of the seven male specimens of O. karelini remaining, none possesses a fine pair of horns ; 

 but several of the skins are good and well preserved. When making out the list of species 

 collected by Dr. Stoliczka, having only Severtzoff s untranslated work to refer to, I thought, 

 judging by the figures alone, that the species might be that described by that naturalist as 

 O. heinsi ; but Sir V. Brooke has since shown that the wild sheep, of which so many specimens 

 were brought to Kashghar and presented to the Mission, is O. karelini of the same 

 naturalist. 



The following is a copy of Dr. Stoliczka's account of this sheep in the Proceedings of the 

 Zoological Society. Dr. Stoliczka, it should be remembered, has naturally identified the 

 animal with 0. poli, as the difference between the two forms was then unknown — ■ 



" Male, in 'winter dress. — General colour above hoary-brown, distinctly rufescent or fawn on the upper 

 bind neck and above the shoulders, darker on the loins, with a dark line extending along the ridge of the tail to 

 the tip. Head above and at the sides a greyish-brown, darkest on the hind head, where the central hairs 

 are from 4 to 5 inches long ; while between the shoulders somewhat elongated hairs indicate a short mane. 

 Middle of upper neck hoary -white, generally tinged with fawn; sides of body and the upper part of the 

 limbs shading from brown to white ; the hair becoming more and more tipped with the latter colour. 

 Face, all the lower parts, limbs, tail, and all the hinder parts, extending well above towards the loins, pure 

 white. The hairs on the lower neck are very much lengtheiied, being from 5 to 6 inches long. Ears hoary- 

 brown externally ; almost white internally. Pits in front of the eye distinct, of moderate size and depth, and 

 the hair round them generally somewhat darker brown than the rest of the sides of the head. The nose is 

 slightly arched and the muzzle sloping. The hair is strong, wiry, and very thickly set, and at the base inter- 

 mixed with scanty, very fine fleece ; the average length of the hairs on the back is from 2 to 2 J inches. The 

 iris is brown. The horns are subtriangular, touching each other at the base, curving gradually with a long 

 sweep backwards and outwards; and after completing a full circle, the compressed points again curve back- 

 wards and outwards ; their surface is more or less closely transversely ridged. 



^haw (visit to High Tartary, Yarkand, and Kashghar, p. 425,) says the name of the male is Arledr and of the female Goolja ; 

 but Dr. Stoliczka, Captain Biddulph, and Captain Trotter reverse the meaning of the terms. Arkan or Arlur is evidently the 

 same word as Argali. Captain Trotter informs me that the correct names are those assigned above. 



- In a private letter to me written from Karghalik not many days before his death, Dr. Stoliczka told me he had despatched 

 22 skins of this sheep from Kashghar; only 11 remain. 



V 



