XXXI. THE LARGE WILD SHEEP OF INDIA

(Oves Poli, Ammon, &c.)

In Central and Northern Asia there were at one time no fewer than eight recognised varieties of giant wild sheep, viz. O. Poli, O. Karelini, O. Heinsi, O. nigrimontana, O. Ammon, O. Hodgsonii, O. Brookei, O. nivicola.

Mr. W. T. Blanford, however, after inspecting a magnificent collection of heads, made by Hon. C. Ellis, which exhibit every gradation of curve between the two extreme types, declared in his paper to the Zoological Society in 1884 that he considered O. Poli and O. Karelini to be practically the same species, and the formidable list may be further reduced from a sportsman’s view by massing the varieties into three broad types, viz:

1. O. Poli with its little known varieties, O. Heinsi, and O. nigrimontana; for though these appear to differ somewhat in size (O. nigrimontana being a comparatively small animal), their horns are of the same wide-spreading type.

2. O. Ammon, O. Hodgsonii and O. Brookei; the difference between the first two is very trifling, and O. Brookei is considered by some authorities to be possibly a hybrid between O. Hodgsonii and O. Vignei (Shapoo).

3. O. nivicola, which more nearly resembles O. montana (the Bighorn of the Rocky Mountains).

The first type is found, according to M. Severtzoff, only in Turkestan, from the Pamir through the Thian Shan range as far eastwards as Tengri Khan; its varieties being located as follows: O. Heinsi in the Tockmack district west of Tengri Khan; O. nigrimontana in Karatan, near Samarcand.

The second type is not found in Turkestan. Its range is the Altai from Tengri Khan as far eastward as the sea of Baikal, and then southwards by the sources of the Hoang-ho and Yang-se-kiang rivers down to Ladak and the southern frontier of Thibet.

The third type is found in Kamtchatka.

No. 1, extreme type, Ovis Poli

No. 2, intermediate type

No. 3, extreme type, Ovis Karelini

In colour all these sheep are much the same; generally a rather rich greyish brown fading to greyish white towards the tail and belly, with, in the ram, a greyish white ruff on the neck. This is the chief distinguishing mark of a ram Ovis Ammon at a distance, the ewe having a brown neck; in fact, the ram looks as if his thoughtful spouse had insisted on his wearing a white comforter for fear of catching cold. The horns of the ram, large as they are, are of such a pale colour as to be hardly distinguishable in certain lights at long distances. The Ovis Poli appears to have little or no ruff, but has a dark line down the back, which the Ovis Ammon has not, and has also a more clearly defined white anal disc.

Ovis Ammon

Ovis Nivicola

Measurements

Authority	Height at shoulder	Length nose to tip of tail	Weight	Length of horns	Girth at base	Span between tips	Skull	Remarks
Ovis Ammon
	ins.	ins.	lbs.	ins.	ins.	ins.	ins.
Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875	43	..	..	49	18½	32	12	From Siberia?
”	46	..	..	48½	19	31	..	”
British Museum	..	..	..	48	18¾	..	..	Specimen, No. 45-4-21-9. From Siberia
Mr. O. Shaw	..	..	..	47	..	..	..
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	46½	19¾	20	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Sir V. Brooke	..	..	..	45½	17½	24	14	Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
H.R.H. Duke of Teck	..	..	..	45½	16½	about 17	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Major Ward (‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak and Cashmere’)	46 to 48	..	250 to 280	..	..	..	..
”	..	..	..	45	20	..	..
Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875	44½	..	..	45	19½	..	..
Col. Howard Brooke	..	..	..	44	18	..	..
Mr. H. C. V. Hunter	..	..	..	43½	16⅝	loose horns	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
British Museum	..	..	..	43	16¾	..	..
Major Greenaway	..	..	..	42½	17	..	..
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	42½	16½	19	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	42½	16	about 18	..	”
Rowland Ward	..	..	..	42½	16	18	..	”
Mr. J. Carr Saunders	..	..	..	42½?	15¼	..	..	”
H.R.H. Duke of Edinburgh	..	..	..	42⅝	16¼	20	..	”
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	42⅛	16¾	14¼	..	”
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	42⅛	16½	18	..	”
Capt. Ballantyne	..	..	..	42	18	..	..
Sir V. Brooke	..	..	..	42	17⅜	17½	15
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	42	16¾	about 17¼	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
British Museum	..	..	..	42	14	..	..
Hon. Walter Rothschild	..	..	..	41⅞	16	..	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
British Museum	..	..	..	41½	16¾	..	..
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	41¼	17½	16	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Major Ward (‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’)	..	..	..	41	18½	..	..
The Writer	44	..	..	41	17	..	..
St. George Littledale (British Museum)	..	..	..	40½?	14½	about 26¼	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hon. C. Ellis	..	..	..	40⅜	17⅝	20⅜	..	”
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	40¼	17¼	20	..	”
Col. Kinloch (‘Large Game Shooting’)	48 to 49	..	..	40	17	..	..
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	40	16¾	19½	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
”	..	..	..	40	16	18½	..
Major Greenaway	45	76	212	36	15½	..	..	Weighed in pieces. Estimated 240 lbs. as shot
Gen. Macintyre (‘Hindu Koh’)	..	..	350	about 40	18	..	..	Cleaned, including head
Sterndale	40 to 48	..	..	..	..	..	..
Mr. K. Mackenzie	48	..	..	..	..	..	..
”	49	..	..	..	..	..	..
Jerdon quoting Colonel Markham	..	..	..	..	24	..	..

Measurements (continued)

Authority	Height at shoulder	Length nose to tip of tail	Tail	Length of horns	Girth at base	Span between tips	Skull	Girth of chest	Remarks
Ovis Poli
	ins.	ins.	ins.	ins.	ins.	ins.	ins.	ins.
Gen. Lord Roberts	..	..	..	75	16	54½	..	..	‘Smoothbore,’ letter to the ‘Asian,’ November 13, 1891
Mr. Hume	..	..	..	75	14	48	..	..	”
Col. Tanner	..	..	..	73	15	48	..	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Sterndale, ‘Mammalia’	..	..	..	73	14	48	..	..	(Possibly the same head)
Mr. L. Flower	..	..	..	68½	15	35¾	..	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Col. R. Pole Carew	..	..	..	68	17	43	..	..	”
Indian Museum, the ‘Asian,’ November 13, 1891	..	..	..	68	16	52	..	..	”
Col. R. Pole Carew	..	..	..	67	16½	42	..	..	”
Sterndale, ‘Mammalia’	..	..	..	67	16	53	..	..	”
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.	..	..	..	66⅞	15⅝	46	..	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	66⅞	13⅞	..	..	..	”
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	66	15¼	44	..	..	”
”	..	..	..	65⅞	16	48	..	..	”
Col. T. E. Gordon, British Museum	..	..	..	65½	16	53	..	..	”
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	65⅜	16¼	..	..	..	”
Capt. Blane	..	..	..	65	16½	49½	..	..	”
St. George Littledale	..	..	..	65	..	..	..	..	”
Rowland Ward	..	..	..	65	..	..	..	..	”
Hon. C. Ellis, quoted Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1884	..	..	..	58	..	51	..	..
”	..	..	..	58	15½	50½	..	..	No. 1.—Extreme type (O. Poli)
”	..	..	..	57½	..	47	..	..
”	..	..	..	62	..	47½	..	..
”	..	..	..	63½	..	48	..	..
”	..	..	..	61½	..	46½	..	..
”	..	..	..	59½	..	43¾	..	..
”	..	..	..	61	..	43	..	..
”	..	..	..	55	17	37	..	..	No. 2.—Intermediate type
”	..	..	..	60½	..	39½	..	..
”	..	..	..	63½	16	39	..	..	No. 3.—Extreme type (O. Karelini)
M. Severtzoff	46	79	..	57	..	42	14	..	Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
”	42.6	71	..	44	..	32	13.3	..	” (O. Karelini)
Major Biddulph	41	67	3½	48	14	..	11	49½	Yarkand Mission
Ovis Heinsi
M. Severtzoff	..	..	..	33.2	..	31.4	11.4	..	Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
Ovis nigrimontana
M. Severtzoff	34	57	..	38	..	29.6	10.8	..	”
Ovis nivicola
Dr. Guillemard, ‘The Cruise of the Marchesa’	40	66	..	38	13½	26	9¾	54
”	41	65	..	35½	14	26½	10¾	..
”	39	67	..	35	13¼	25½	..	55
”	39½	64	..	35	13¾	21	10½	54
”	37	64	..	34¾	14½	25	10½	55
British Museum	..	..	..	34½	11⅞	17¾	..	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
M. Severtzoff	37	..	..	33	12¾	..	..	..	Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.	..	..	..	32¾	13½	23	..	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Dr. Guillemard, ‘The Cruise of the Marchesa’	..	..	..	32½	13¾	22½	..	..
”	..	..	..	32¼	14	21	..	..
Ovis Brookei
Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’	..	..	..	33½	13⅜	..	11	..

Old rams of the Ovis Ammon are by no means easy to bring to bag. The bare open downs they live on afford little or no cover for a stalk; the wind in Ladak, piercingly cold as it is, seems to take a delight in blowing from all points of the compass in turn, especially if there are any clouds about; the rams themselves are particularly wary and keen-scented, and the least suspicion of danger will set them marching steadily across country for miles without stopping. In the summer, like most hill animals, the old rams leave the ewes and young ones and form small flocks by themselves, selecting favourite valleys to which they repair year after year, and being rarely found on the same ground as the ewes at that season, i.e. after the middle of June. I have, however, seen a flock of five rams and ten ewes together as late as June 11 and secured a big ram out of it. Ward’s remarks about hunting Ovis Ammon are worth quoting:

Stalking in Ladak is very often a matter of time. Many of us will march for a month to get on to Ovis Ammon ground, and yet will not consent to wait a few days after the game is sighted. Naturally, in a country where the hills are devoid of cover, the game is often seen on spots where it is useless trying to approach it; but, if watched for a few hours, it is almost certain to graze its way into a more favourable position. Avoid going after game on gusty and cloudy days, and exercise patience, remembering that you have probably marched some hundreds of miles to obtain a few shots, and one or two days’ more or less work can make but little difference.

Even supposing the sportsman to have everything in his favour, wind, cover, and the rest, there are pretty sure to be some kyang about, and these once disturbed, good-bye to the oves. The writer had once been watching two fine old rams from early morning till 2 p.m. before the wind would let him attempt the stalk; he had got within a quarter of a mile of the rams with absolutely nothing to do but walk straight on up to them, when suddenly a brute of a kyang jumped up from behind a rock where he had been lying hid, galloped straight up the valley past the oves, found seven devils worse than himself, brought them all back to show them the quaint manners of an infuriated man with a gun, and concluded the entertainment by galloping round and round him out of shot. The oves naturally took the hint, and not caring for an asinine circus, simply marched off to the next county.

Large bags of ram oves are consequently seldom made. Mr. O. Shaw got nine in 1877, including one of 47 ins.; the rest of the bag was, one bull yak, eight or ten burrel, one of 27 ins., eleven Thibetan antelope and one shapoo; this was an exceptional bag by an exceptionally hard working sportsman.

The native names for O. Poli are ‘Rass,’ ‘Roosh,’ ‘Goolga’ (the male), and for O. Ammon ‘Nyan.’

XXXII. BURREL (Ovis Nahura vel Burhel)

Native names: ‘Baral,’ ‘Barut’; in Ladak ‘Napo’ the male, ‘Namoo’ the female; Zanskar, ‘Snapo,’ ‘Snamoo’; on the Sutlej ‘Wa’

Sterndale appears to have fallen into a curious mistake about this sheep. He says: ‘The name Ovis Nahura is not a felicitous one, as it was given under a mistake by Hodgson, the nahoor being quite another animal. I think Blyth’s name of Ovis Burhel should be adopted.’ On reference, however, to Blyth’s account in the ‘Proceedings Zoo. Soc. 1840,’ it will be found that he calls the animal generally known as burrel the ‘nahoor,’ and says of Ovis Burhel, ‘It is smaller and more robust than the nahoor, with shorter ears and very dark horns, having no white about it; and general colour dark and rich chestnut brown, with the ordinary black markings upon face, chest, and front of limbs very distinct.’ The specimen came from the Boorendo Pass, but as no more specimens have been obtained from that locality or elsewhere, it appears to be quite possible that Blyth was misled by a native-cured skin. Discoloration by curing is common.

The burrel has a very extended range, reaching from Ladak on the west (it apparently does not extend into Baltistan) to East Thibet, as Père David found it in Moupin. Its southern limit is the line of the Himalayas; it extends up north to the Kuenluen ranges, and was obtained by Prejevalski on the Altyn-Tagh. It seems to require an altitude of at least 10,000 ft., and many of the shooting grounds are quite 17,000 ft. above the sea-level.

Its general colour is a light slaty grey. The ram has black marks on the chest, side, and legs, and these are the points to look for in a distant flock to distinguish the sex; the ram’s horns being of a very pale colour, are often hardly distinguishable.

The old rams in the summer generally live apart from the ewes, and on some grounds, notably about Chumatung on the Indus, the rams seem to take themselves off to separate valleys; usually they keep to another part of the same valley, and occasionally intermix.

Burrel are quite the hardest animals to see on a hillside unless they are moving; their colour so exactly matches the blue shale of Ladak, that when they are lying down a flock may be easily overlooked by even a careful man with glasses. Being pretty plentiful where they are found at all, and as a rule, where not much shot at, fairly easy to approach, a visitor to Ladak, if he works at all, must indeed have been behind the door when the luck was served out if he cannot get a few burrel heads. Ordinarily they are found on fairly broken ground, and usually not very far away from rocky cliffs of some sort; they are capital climbers, no sheep better, and a wounded ram is by no means an easy beast to recover. If a burrel had only the horns of an ibex he would be the most charming beast to hunt in the whole of the Himalayas. An old ibex when he is shot stinks appallingly, and is practically uneatable. A burrel on the other hand, no matter how old a ram he may be, is always excellent; his head, pretty trophy as it is, is his weak point. The writer has seen burrel and ibex on the same ground, though never actually feeding together; a friend in 1866 saw burrel and ther feeding together between Joshimath and the Niti Pass, and General Macintyre also notices this on the same ground.

As with ibex, several shots can generally be obtained at a flock of burrel before they get out of range, provided the stalker keeps hidden; but he should take pains to stop his cripples, if he does not want a stiffish task set him afterwards in recovering them. Major Ward recommends using Baltistan dogs, and if procurable, good dogs no doubt would be invaluable; but the mere fact of having dogs out, unless they are exceptionally good and led by a native of more than ordinary intelligence, generally so multiplies the chances against a successful stalk that one is better without them. English dogs, he says, are useless among rocks and cannot stand the rarefied air.

I remember having a capital day with burrel. I sighted a flock of eight good rams in the morning, but could not attempt to close with them till the afternoon on account of four kyang who persistently kept in the way. At last the kyang fed away, and after a longish détour the burrel, who were lying down, were approached by my sliding down the hillside on my back. Having got within fifty yards of one whose horns were just visible, the expedient of shuffling among the loose stones with the hand was tried to get him to stand up, but this only brought the tips of an ear in sight by the base of the horn. Another shuffle and the ram stood up, but only showed about a couple of inches of the top of his shoulder. Foolishly firing at this instead of at his neck, the shot missed, the whole flock bolted at once, and a running shot with the left barrel also missed. Reloading at once, the chase was carried on down the hillside, and the burrel were again found, standing looking at their pursuer about a hundred and fifty yards off. Picking out the biggest ram, a shot from the shoulder rolled him over, but a snap-shot at the hind-quarters of another disappearing down the hill missed. Another run of about three hundred yards afforded another chance, as when within one hundred and eighty yards of the flock it again halted, and a second ram fell to the shot. The rest went about three hundred yards and stood again. I still followed, and at two hundred and fifty yards broke the forearm of a third ram close to the body. By this time rest was the first necessity, but after a short pause the wounded ram was followed up and bagged with another shot. The first was ten years old, horns 25½ ins. by 14 ins. thick; second eight years, 23 ins. by 12 ins.; third eight years, 22 ins. by 10½ ins. Bad shooting but good fun.

Amongst other varieties of burrel are the Barbary burrel (Ammotragus Tragelaphus), of which there is a skeleton in the British Museum which stands 33½ ins. at the shoulder, and a pair of horns measuring 26 ins. in length by 11 ins. in girth; also the Caucasian burrel (Capra Pallasi), of which there is a specimen in the same museum, whose horns are 29 ins. long by 12 ins. in girth; but the animal looks more like a goat than a sheep, having a rudimentary beard, and the horns are more like those of Capra pyrenaica than Ovis Nahura.

XXXIII. SHAPOO (Ovis Vignei)

Native names: ‘Shapoo’ the male, ‘Shamoo’ the female; in Astor, ‘Oorin’

Shapoo and oorin, though by some naturalists classed as separate varieties, may practically be considered identical; the writer has hunted both, and is unable to distinguish any difference in appearance or habits. The annual winter migration of oorin to the Boonji Plain is probably attributable to the snowfall in Astor being heavier than that of Ladak.

The only other difference (giving the result of individual experience) is that oorin are not nearly so restless as shapoo, being pretty regular in their feeding hours, and lying down throughout the heat of the day. Shapoo, on the other hand, are perpetually on the fidget. In colour they appear identical, generally a pale reddish grey fading into white below. The profuse black beard of the Ovis cycloceros is entirely absent, the shapoo in his winter coat having only a short stubbly brown beard, and in summer a dark line on the throat. The different points of Ovis Vignei and Ovis Cycloceros are briefly as follows, according to Mr. Sclater (‘Pro. Zoo. Soc.’ 1860):

Ovis Vignei	Ovis cycloceros
Horn rather compressed laterally.	Much compressed laterally.
Rounded posteriorly.	Much compressed posteriorly.
Curving outward and backward.	Curving outward and inward.
Points divergent.	Points convergent.
General colour, brownish grey.	General colour, rufous brown, with blotch on flanks, and lateral line blackish.
Beard short, of stiffish brown hairs.	Beard profuse, reaching to knees, black intermixed with white hairs.

The two varieties are much of the same size, but are entirely different in colour and habits. The horns of the shapoo are generally more massive than those of Ovis cycloceros, but the horns of both so vary in type and so closely resemble those of Ovis Gmelini from Asia Minor, that it is almost impossible, except for a highly trained scientific eye, to decide from this point alone to which of the three varieties a specimen belongs. Shapoo seem only to be found in the valley of the Indus, from a few miles above Leh down to the junction of the Astor river. How far below that they extend the inhabitants of Chilas only know, and they are not famed for hospitality or for communicating their knowledge. There appears to be a gap in the continuity of the species about Shigar and Rondu, which separates the shapoo from the oorin. The writer has never heard of shapoo being obtained there, and it would be interesting to know how far below Leh they are found. Shapoo seem to be very fond of wild thyme, which almost invariably grows plentifully on the ground they frequent. The venison is inferior to that of either Ovis Ammon or burrel.

The ram shapoo is a very game-looking beast, and the horns, standing well out from his head, show off to great advantage; but there is not an animal in the whole of the Himalayas so vexatious to hunt. Markhor are bad enough in all conscience, but even markhor are less heartbreaking to deal with than shapoo.

The writer once met a real typical shapoo, a true son of Belial. The beast started out of a ravine, galloped as hard as he could lay legs to the ground for four hundred yards, and then calmly lay down to think. After about a quarter of an hour he rose, strolled leisurely over a ridge, and then cantered off to some rocks about three-quarters of a mile away, where he lay down again. This necessitated a climb to the top of the hill, whence, wind and cover being perfect, the stalk would be easy enough. He remained there just long enough to enable the pursuer to begin the easy part of the stalk, when up he got, cantered gracefully back across the valley, and lay down on the opposite hill, in another very tempting position. This move entailed a détour, so as to cross the valley out of sight, and another climb up the far hill; half an hour was spent in reaching the desired spot: but though from there a magnificent view could be had of all the country round, there was not a sign of the shapoo, and the ground was too dry to show his tracks. Verily, shapoo are only shot when they give themselves away.

Shapoo are very tough beasts. The writer once regularly raked a ram galloping straight from him at thirty yards; the bullet, from a .500 Express, caught him on the rump, and the base of it was afterwards cut out in front of the liver; yet the ram ran some two hundred and fifty yards, stopped for about a minute to look round, and then started off again at a gallop, but after going a hundred yards fell over dead. The writer remembers no other instance of an animal stopping to gaze in its death gallop.

XXXIV. OORIAL (Ovis cycloceros)

Generally ‘Oorial,’ ‘Kuch,’ in the Suleiman range

This sheep is found in the Salt range near Jhelum, and wherever there are any suitable hills on both banks of the Indus from about Peshawur down to Beloochistan, where it is replaced by the next variety, Ovis Blanfordi. The ram has a long ruff of grizzled black hair which, flowing from his throat and chest down to his knees, emulates the grand beard of a markhor; this beard drops off in the summer, but begins growing again in August, and is at its full length during the rutting season late in September, which is about the best time for procuring good heads.

Measurements

Authority	Height at shoulder	Length, nose to tip of tail	Weight	Length of horns	Girth at base	Splay between tips	Remarks
Ovis Nahura
	ins.	ins.	lbs.	ins.	ins.	ins.
Mr. B. H. Hodgson, ‘Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1840’	..	..	..	32	..	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	30⅞	12¼	21⅞	”
”	..	..	..	30	12¼	22½	”
H.R.H. Duke of Edinburgh	..	..	..	29½	11⅝	25½	”
Major Ward	..	..	..	29	..	..	‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	28	11	20¼	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Captain G. Campbell	..	..	..	27¾	10¼	10	”
Mr. St. George Littledale, 1877	..	..	..	27¼	11	21¼	”
Major Ward	..	..	..	27	..	..	‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
”	..	..	150	..	..	..	”
”	..	..	119	..	..	..	”
Mr. O. Shaw	..	..	..	27	..	..	‘Hindu-Koh’
Gen. Macintyre	..	..	..	27	..	..
Major Greenaway	..	..	..	26½	12½	..
”	..	..	..	26½	10	..
”	..	..	97 cleaned	..	..	..
Sir V. Brooke	..	..	..	26¼	11⅞	23	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hon. W. Rothschild	..	..	..	26¼	12	21¼	”
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.	..	..	..	26¼	10¾	22	”
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	26⅛	12⅜	25	”
Mr. Rowland Ward	..	..	..	26	12	20½	”
Col. Kinloch	..	..	..	25½	..	..	‘Large Game Shooting’
The Writer, June 24, 1875	..	..	..	25½	14	..
”	34	..	..	21	11	..
Sterndale, ‘Mammalia’	30 to 36	54 to 60	..	24 to 30	12 to 13	..
Average (according to Major Ward) seems fair	33	52	130	22	11	..	‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
Ovis Vignei
Mr. J. Carr Saunders	..	..	..	38⅝	12¼	11¼	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	37½	10¼	11	”
”	..	..	..	36⅜	9⅛	about 17	”
”	..	..	..	36¼	11¼	..	”
Major Ward	..	..	..	36¼	11¾	..	‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
Dr. J. Aitchison, British Museum	..	..	..	35½	10½	16	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. J. Carr Saunders	..	..	..	34	10	..
Major Ward	..	..	..	34	..	..	‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
Mr. A. O. Hume	..	..	..	33⅝	9⅛	..	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.	..	..	..	33⅛	11½	10⅝	”
Major Ward	..	..	..	33	..	..	‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’
Major Greenaway	36	53	65 cleaned	..	..	..
”	36	52	..	..	..	..
The Writer	38	..	..	22	10½	..
Captain H. Brooke	38	..	..	28	12	..
Average of good head	..	..	..	26	10	..
Ovis cycloceros
R. A. Mess, Attock	..	..	..	38½	..	..	Sterndale, ‘Mammalia,’ Appendix C
Captain W. Cotton, F.Z.S.	..	..	..	35½	..	..	”
Sir V. Brooke	..	..	..	32½	10	11½	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	31¾	9¼	5¼	”
”	..	..	..	31¼	8½	16	”
Col. Kinloch	..	..	..	31	10¼	..	‘Large Game Shooting’
”	about 36	..	..	..	..	..	”
Sir V. Brooke	..	..	..	30⅞	9⅞	20⅛	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	30	10½	10	”
Sir V. Brooke	..	..	..	30	9⅜	11¼	”
Major FitzHerbert	36	..	..	30	9½	..
Capt. H. Brooke	..	..	..	30	6	..
Major Greenaway	34	..	..	..	..	..
Sterndale, ‘Mammalia’	about 36	about 60	..	29½	10	..
Average of good head	..	..	..	30	9½	..
Ovis Blanfordi
Hume Collection, British Museum	..	..	..	36½	9⅝	single horn	Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
”	..	..	..	31⅝	9⅜	13¾	”
”	..	..	..	23⅝	9½	17¾	”

Oorial, like stags, seem to affect particular spots at that season, and certain hills which at other times of the year hold nothing but ewes and young ones will just then invariably have big rams on them. Oorial ground has hitherto been practically restricted to the Salt range, and a 30-in. ram there is now a rarity. The country on the right bank of the Indus is being yearly made more accessible, however, and there are large tracts of good oorial ground in that direction that are as yet practically unshot. Oorial shooting, however, is by no means a summer amusement, and there is little to be gained then except dysentery from bad water and sunstroke by hunting the deep stifling ravines and almost red-hot stony hills. In the cooler months it is most enjoyable. As a rule one gets a fair number of chances, the ground being so broken that stalking is by no means difficult. An old ram oorial is a fine game-looking animal, and though not to be compared to burrel, is still very fair eating. The best way of hunting them is by walking along the tops of the ridges and carefully examining the ground below; as there are often a good many bushes on the hillside, oorial are not always very easy to see, especially if they are lying down, so the pace should be slow. The natives of the salt range are generally expert trackers, and as a wounded oorial is by no means an easy beast to recover, their skill is doubly appreciable when following up a good ram with a broken leg. The way they will carry the trail through the marks of a flock of sheep or along stony nullahs and hillsides with perhaps only an occasional spot of blood to help them, is quite charming after the bungling attempts at the art one generally sees displayed by the natives of the Himalayas.

As oorial are perpetually seeing shepherds and other natives they do not become alarmed at the sight of man at a distance; but as they are a good deal driven about, especially by the cultivators whose crops at the foot of the hills they feed on at night, no liberties can be taken during the stalk, and the sides of the ravines being often excessively steep, good noiseless stalking shoes are requisite.