Ovis Nivicola

Measurements

AuthorityHeight at shoulderLength nose to tip of tailWeightLength of hornsGirth at baseSpan between tipsSkullRemarks
Ovis Ammon
ins.ins.lbs.ins.ins.ins.ins.
Proc. Zoo. Soc., 187543....4918½3212From Siberia?
”46....48½1931..”
British Museum......4818¾....Specimen, No. 45-4-21-9. From Siberia
Mr. O. Shaw......47......
Mr. A. O. Hume......46½19¾20..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Sir V. Brooke......45½17½2414Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
H.R.H. Duke of Teck......45½16½about 17..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Major Ward (‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak and Cashmere’)46 to 48..250 to 280........
”......4520....
Proc. Zoo. Soc., 187544½....4519½....
Col. Howard Brooke......4418....
Mr. H. C. V. Hunter......43½16⅝loose horns..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
British Museum......4316¾....
Major Greenaway......42½17....
Mr. A. O. Hume......42½16½19..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hume Collection, British Museum......42½16about 18..”
Rowland Ward......42½1618..”
Mr. J. Carr Saunders......42½?15¼....”
H.R.H. Duke of Edinburgh......42⅝16¼20..”
Hume Collection, British Museum......42⅛16¾14¼..”
Mr. A. O. Hume......42⅛16½18..”
Capt. Ballantyne......4218....
Sir V. Brooke......4217⅜17½15
Hume Collection, British Museum......4216¾about 17¼..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
British Museum......4214....
Hon. Walter Rothschild......41⅞16....Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
British Museum......41½16¾....
Mr. A. O. Hume......41¼17½16..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Major Ward (‘Sportsman’s Guide to Ladak, &c.’)......4118½....
The Writer44....4117....
St. George Littledale (British Museum)......40½?14½about 26¼..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Hon. C. Ellis......40⅜17⅝20⅜..”
Hume Collection, British Museum......40¼17¼20..”
Col. Kinloch (‘Large Game Shooting’)48 to 49....4017....
Hume Collection, British Museum......4016¾19½..Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
”......401618½..
Major Greenaway45762123615½....Weighed in pieces. Estimated 240 lbs. as shot
Gen. Macintyre (‘Hindu Koh’)....350about 4018....Cleaned, including head
Sterndale40 to 48............
Mr. K. Mackenzie48............
”49............
Jerdon quoting Colonel Markham........24....

Measurements (continued)

AuthorityHeight at shoulderLength nose to tip of tailTailLength of hornsGirth at baseSpan between tipsSkullGirth of chestRemarks
Ovis Poli
ins.ins.ins.ins.ins.ins.ins.ins.
Gen. Lord Roberts......751654½....‘Smoothbore,’ letter to the ‘Asian,’ November 13, 1891
Mr. Hume......751448....”
Col. Tanner......731548....Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Sterndale, ‘Mammalia’......731448....(Possibly the same head)
Mr. L. Flower......68½1535¾....Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Col. R. Pole Carew......681743....”
Indian Museum, the ‘Asian,’ November 13, 1891......681652....”
Col. R. Pole Carew......6716½42....”
Sterndale, ‘Mammalia’......671653....”
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.......66⅞15⅝46....Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Mr. A. O. Hume......66⅞13⅞......”
Hume Collection, British Museum......6615¼44....”
”......65⅞1648....”
Col. T. E. Gordon, British Museum......65½1653....”
Mr. A. O. Hume......65⅜16¼......”
Capt. Blane......6516½49½....”
St. George Littledale......65........”
Rowland Ward......65........”
Hon. C. Ellis, quoted Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1884......58..51....
”......5815½50½....No. 1.—Extreme type (O. Poli)
”......57½..47....
”......62..47½....
”......63½..48....
”......61½..46½....
”......59½..43¾....
”......61..43....
”......551737....No. 2.—Intermediate type
”......60½..39½....
”......63½1639....No. 3.—Extreme type (O. Karelini)
M. Severtzoff4679..57..4214..Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
”42.671..44..3213.3..” (O. Karelini)
Major Biddulph41673½4814..1149½Yarkand Mission
Ovis Heinsi
M. Severtzoff......33.2..31.411.4..Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
Ovis nigrimontana
M. Severtzoff3457..38..29.610.8..”
Ovis nivicola
Dr. Guillemard, ‘The Cruise of the Marchesa’4066..3813½269¾54
”4165..35½1426½10¾..
”3967..3513¼25½..55
”39½64..3513¾2110½54
”3764..34¾14½2510½55
British Museum......34½11⅞17¾....Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
M. Severtzoff37....3312¾......Proc. Zoo. Soc., 1875
Sir E. G. Loder, Bart.......32¾13½23....Rowland Ward, ‘Horn Measurements’
Dr. Guillemard, ‘The Cruise of the Marchesa’......32½13¾22½....
”......32¼1421....
Ovis Brookei
Sterndale’s ‘Mammalia’......33½13⅜..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.