from the Parapomisus Mountains of Afghanistan is doubtless this race,
whose southern and south-eastern limits are probably defined by the
Indus.
b. H im a l a y a n R a c iB - C a p r a s ib ir ic a sacin
Capra ibex, Hodgson, Journ. As. Soe. Bengal, vol. x. p. 913 (1841), xi.
p. 283 (1841), nec Linn. 1766.
Capra sakeen, Blyth, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. x i.'p . 283 (1841).
Capra ibex hemalayanus, Hodgson,^Calcutta Journ. Nat. Hist. vol. ii.
p. 4 14 (1842).
Ægoceros skyn, Wagner, Schreber’s Saugethiere, vol. iv, p. 491 (1844),
Capra himalayana, Schinz, Synop. Mamm. vol. ii. p_ 463 (1845) ; Gray,
Knowsley Menagerie, p. 33 (1850), Cat. Ungulata Brit. Mus. p. 1 5 ^ 1 8 5 2 ) ;
Adams, Broc. Zool. Soc. 1858, p. 523.
Ibex sakin, Hodgson, Journ. As. Soc. Bengal, vol. xvi. p.|§hoo (18 4 7 *
Capra sibirica, Jerdon, Mamm. India, p. 292 (i86||); Kinloch, Large
Game Shooting, pt. i, p. 30 ( 1869)TSterndale, Mamm: India, p. 444 (1884) ;
Thomas, Trans. Linn. Soc. ser. 2, vol. v. p. 64 (1889).
Capra skyn, Severtzoff, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 4, vol. xviii. p. 334
(1878) ; Prezewalski, Peters. Mitth. Erzb. vol. xii. p. 5 (1878)4 '■
Capra sakin, Blanford, Fauna Brit. Ind.—Mamm. p. 504 (1891).
CAzr«r/rrr.B-Apparently distinguished from the typical race by the
legs being uniformly dark brown throughout, and als© by the darker
under-parts.
With the hundreds of Himalayan ibex yearly shot by English sportsmen,
it is somewhat surprising to find Mr. Blanford remarking that he had
only been able to examine one undoubted skin from the Himalaya, and
was therefore unable to decide whether the difference in the. coloration of
the legs formed a constant distinction between the Himalayan and Thian
Shan forms. Although years ago I have seen scores of skins, I am at the
present time in no better position to decide the question, which must
consequently await further evidence. From the analogy of the Tibetan
and Siberian argalis, and the difference between the markhor of Baltistan
and that of the Pir-Panjal, I am, however, of opinion that the Himalayan
ibex is probably sub-specifically distinct from the Thian Shan and Altai
form, and therefore retain the name which has been proposed for it.
Distribution.—The higher elevations of the Himalaya, exclusive of the
Pir-Panjal, from the bend of the Indus above Gilgit eastwards, at least as
far as the Source of the Gange|| Mr. Blanford remarks that this ibex i f ; is
not known to occur farther east in the Himalayas nor in Eastern Tibet,
andHlthough it is included in Hodgson’s lists of Nepal mammals, there
are nplspecimens in his collection ; but when in Northern Sikhim I heard
from Tibetans of an animal, probably thjispecies, inhabiting the mountains
north of Shigatze, and Hodgson obtained similar information as to its
occurrence n o r th g f Lhassa and Digarchi.” Mr. Rowland Ward has,
however, recorded ibex heads from Ladak, and I believe, that I myself
have heard of the existence of the animal in the southern parts of
that district.
c, I ) au v k kgn K> R a c e— C a p r a (S)b ir ic a dauv ergne i
Capra dauvergnei, Sterndale, Journ. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. vol. i. p. 24
(1886) ; Blanford, Fauna Briti Ind.SMamm. p. 504 (1891).
Characters.—A provisional race founded on a head purchased in Kashmir,
which it is suggested may have come from the districts to the west of
that country. The horns are Very dark-coloured, much more curved
round than is ordinarily the case in the Himalayan race, and are devoid
of knobs except near the tips. The latter peculiarity i|||trongly suggestive
of an abnormality. Three specimens are recorded, in the. longest of which
the horns measure 52 inches along the curve.