THE LEOPARD. 63 



heights. Their skins are valued for praying-rugs. 

 The wild goats of Crete, mentioned by Aristotle, 

 and of which he reports that they are said to 

 seek the herb Dictamnus when wounded,* was 

 doubtless this ibex. Its modern name appears 

 to be only a corruption of the ancient Ai£. It 

 ranges probably throughout the Taurus ; but how 

 far eastward is doubtful. The ibex of Thibet 

 and the Himalaya is said to be a distinct species.f 

 Another large quadruped, not unfrequent in 

 the Lycian mountains, is the leopard ; a for- 

 midable enemy to the flocks. It is known by 

 the Turkish name of caplan. Its skin is still 

 more highly prized than that of the caik. The 

 "sertlan" and fc 'surinjek," from the descriptions 

 of the inhabitants, appear, also, to be large cats. 

 As to the " astlan," or lion, he certainly does 

 not inhabit Lycia now, — if, indeed, he ever 

 did. 



Bears and wolves are frequent ; and the fox 

 is said to be common. They are all identical 

 with the European species. Jackalls are abun- 

 dant, and make known their presence by their 

 detestable yelling as soon as the night sets in. 



* Uepi Z(ou>v, ix. 6. 



\ Blyth in Zoological Proceedings, 1841. 



