KALMUCKS, a Mongolian race of people, scattered throughout central Asia, and extending W. into southern Russia. The name is not employed by the people themselves, but by the Turkish races of Asia and the Russians to designate the DOrbon (Derbend) Oirad or Four Allied tribes of the Zungars, Torgod (Keraits Or Eleuths), Khoshod, and Dorbod, who live in Zungaria; around Koko-nor in N. E. Tibet; in the district called Ordus, within the great loop of the Yellow river of China; on the W. slopes of the Altai (in Kuldja, etc.), and in the steppes be tween the Don and the Volga and Cas pian. These tribes constitute that great division of the Mongol race known as Western Mongols. They are nomads, possessing large herds of horses, cattle, and sheep. Their physical characteris tics are those peculiar to the Mongolian race (see MoNcomAN). In religion they are nearly all adherents of Lamaism.
Their language differs from true or Eastern Mongolian only in being more phonetic; but they have an alphabet of their own. The most noteworthy events in their history arose out of the emigra tion of a large band of the Torgod from Zungaria into Russia in 1650. This band was followed by others composed of Dorbod in 1673 and of Khoshod in 1675. Under Auka Khan (1670-1724) the Kal mucks figured as an important factor in Russian politics, sometimes as enemies, sometimes as allies. But in 1771 a large body of them, chiefly Torgod and Khos hod, returned to the empire of China; settling at Ili, among the Altai Moun tains. But there still remain about 110,000 Kalmucks in European Russia; in Asiatic Russia there are probably 55,0.00 more. The number within the Chinese empire is not known.