With the exception of the dogs, there is nothing of special
interest about the other domestic animals of South Tibet. Excellent
wool and well-flavoured mutton is provided by the
sheep, and the common goat of the country is a small long-haired
animal, resembling the goat of Kashmir.
Although, as a rule, not much trouble is taken by the
Tibetans in breeding their dogs, these animals are much prized
by the people. Apart from the swarms of cross-bred mongrels,
it is possible to recognise at least four well-characterised breeds.
Of these, the finest is the so-called Tibetan mastiff. This is a
great shaggy creature, with a very massive head. It is usually
black-and-tan in colour, ;and has .a very thick, rough coat. Its
eyes show some “ haw” like a bloodhound, and it has the
pendulous lips of that breed. No monastery of any pretensions
in Southern Tibet is without at least a pair of these fierce
dogs chained up on either side of the entrance.
The commonest dog is very like a badly-bred collie, but lacks
the magnificent frill and brush of the latter.
The Lhasa terrier is an entirely distinct breed. It is very
similar to a drop-eared Skye terrier, but carries its tail, which is
densely feathered, tucked up tightly over its back. It is
extremely common at Lhasa, but most of the dogs there are too
long in the leg, and I had much trouble in procuring a really
good specimen.
The other distinctive breed is the Tibetan spaniel. This
is a small black dog— sometimes black-and-white— rather like
a Pekinese spaniel. Good specimens of this dog are even more
scarce than Lhasa terriers. The dogs that are prized most by
the better-class Tibetans are small Chinese lap-dogs, of various
kinds, that are brought as-presents from Peking by the merchants.
The Dalai Lgrna has an elephant at Lhasa. This was sent
to him, I believe, either from Nepal or Bhutan. It is a small
male with slender tusks, and has lived in perfect health at Lhasa
for some years.
BIRDS.
Among the resident Tibetan birds, two— the lammergeier
(Gypaitus barbatus) and the raven (Corvus corax)— are of particular
interest. Both species are almost ubiquitous throughout
Southern Tibet; they appear to be quite impervious to the
VOL. I. 26*