wheeling round and round a caravan for miles. This
curiosity is often a cause of annoyance to sportsmen in
search of nohler game, for the kiang galloping round and
snorting violently invariably puts other game aminals on
the alert.
Young kiang have been caught and partially tamed, but
all attempts at converting them into baggage animals have so
far met with failure.
The call of the kiang is a bray, and not a neigh; statements
have been made to the contrary, but there is no
doubt on the point, the bray being similar to that of the
domesticated ass, only rather more shrill and uttered more
quickly.
During the spring their intestines are infected with a
grub of reddish colour, one inch by half an inch, but they
seem to cause no inconvenience; when similar grubs are
found in ponies, the Ladakis declare that it shows the
animals are healthy and putting on fat.
All over the Chang paths may be seen, one foot wide and
quite clear of stones; these have been made by the wild ass,
and usually lead to or from water and good feeding-
grounds. As a rule they travel in single file, but when
alarmed move and form like a troop of cavalry, often
having one in front and one or two on the flanks to act as
scouts; during these movements they repeatedly shy at
imaginary objects, raising clouds of dust at every
turn. Their powers of scent and hearing are fair, but in
length and quickness of sight they probably excel any
a n im a l in Tibet. So numerous are they in certain parts,
notably round Shemen Tso and in the upper reaches of the
Brahmaputra, that hundreds may be seen at one time.
They are regularly hunted and killed by the natives, who
eat the flesh, which is hard and coarse and when dried forms
an article of commerce.
W i l d Y a k (Bos grunniens)
Both the English and Latin names of this animal are
somewhat misleading; throughout Ladak, Rudok and Tibet
the wild yak is known by the name of “ daunk ”—the term
“ yak ” being applied to the domesticated animal, while the
cross between the yak and the common cow is termed a “ zoe.”
Moreover, as the wild yak never grunts (that accomplishment
being confined to the tame variety), it is ridiculous to apply
to it the adjective “ grunniens.”
These wild cattle are magnificent creatures, and were
once common in the Changchenmo Yalley, but they ceased
to visit there many years ago, and are now not to be met
with west of Arport Tso, over 100 miles from the
frontier of Ladak. They have their favourite haunts, and
though often seen in immense herds, are never to be found
dotted about barren stretches of country, like kiang or
antelope. The most northerly point at which we saw one
was lat. 34° 45', though there is plentiful evidence that they
go farther north during some months of the year.
The oxen stand between 17 and 18 hands at the
shoulder. They are coal-black in colour from head to
foot, except that in the males the face and muzzle are
tgrey. Their bodies are covered with long, wavy hair, which
grows to its greatest length along the sides below the ribs.
Their immense tails are their most noticeable point; these
are waved violently about when angry or alarmed, and
not only give them a ferocious appearance, but put the
whole herd on the alert.
On account of its colour, the wild yak forms a conspicuous
object on the hillside, and when found on light-coloured
soil can be distinguished with the naked eye for a distance of
six or seven miles. With the exception of man, however, it
has no enemy to fear.
They are most commonly met with either singly or in
herds of fifteen to fifty—the solitary animals usually being
old bulls. Their favourite haunts are easy, sloping, grassy
valleys, with water close at hand.
Isolated cases of charging have been reported, but it is