BHARAL, l, BLUE SHEEP.
Bharal 231
very difficult of detection. A sub-fossil cannon-bone from one o f the
French caverns has been referred to this species, but it seems extremely
doubtful i f the determination iffreally correct.
Although the arui is undoubtedly very distinct from all other wild
sheep, perhaps even more so than the bharal, I cannot bring myself to
regard it as worthy of generic distinction. Its most aberrant features are
the mane of long hairs on the fore-quarters, the length of the tail, an d the
relatively large size of the horns in the female.
iii. I’ sktoovink G roup— S ub - G enus P seudois
Pseudois, Hodgson, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. xv. p. 343 (1846) ; Gray,
Cat. TJngulata Brit. Mus. p. 177 (1852).
Character^L-Horns Hf males forming! an S-shaped curve, rounded or
subquadrangular at the base, nearly smooth, without distinct transverse
wrinkles ; those of females small. No face-glands, or pits in the skull for
their reception. A clearly-defined black band between the fawn of the back
and the white of the under-parts, and distinct black markings down the
whole front of the legs. No fringe of hair on the throat and: fore-legs.
Tail rather longer than in the caprovine group.
Distribution.—Tibet and adjacent districts H Central Asia.
T h e B h a r a l—Ovis n ah u r a
Ovis nayaur, Hodgson, Asiatic Researches, vol. xviii. pt. 2, p. 135 (1833),
in pa rt; Matschie, SB. Ges. natf. Berlin, 1896, p. 97, 1897, p. 72.
Ovis nahoor, Hodgson, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1834, p. 107, Journ. As. Soc.
Bengal, vol. x. pp. 231 and 293 (1840), xi. p. 283 (1842), P. L. Sclater,
Proc. Zool. Soc. i860, p. 129 ; Kinloch, Large Game Shooting, pt. 1, p. 25
(1866) ; Milne-Edwards, Rech. Mamm. p. 357, pis. lxviii. and Ixix.
(1868-74) ; W. L. Sclater, Cat. Mamm. Ind. Mus. pt. ii. p. 140 (1891).