RUMINANTIA. 199 



Ovis, Lin. 



The horns of Sheep are directed backwards, and then incline spi- 

 rally, more or less forwards : the chanfrin is more or less convex, 

 and there is no beard. They are so slightly entitled to a gene- 

 ric separation from the Goats, that the two produce a prolific off- 

 spring. As in the Goats, there are several wild races or species 

 very nearly allied. 



Ov. ammo7i, L.; Pall. Spic. XI, i ; Schr. CCLXXXVIII. 

 (The Argali of Siberia.) The male of which has very large 

 horns, with the base triangular, angles rounded, flattened in 

 front, and striated transversely ; those of the female are com- 

 pressed and falciform. In summer the hair is short, and of a 

 fawn coloured grey ; in winter it is thick, rigid, and of a red- 

 dish grey, with some white about the muzzle, throat, and under 

 the belly. There is always, as in the Stag, a yellow space 

 about the tail, which is very short. This animal inhabits the 

 mountains of all Asia, and attains to the size of the Fallow Deer. 

 Ov. musirnon, Pall.; Mufione of Sardinia; Muffoli de Corse, 

 Buff. XI, pi. xxix ; Schreb. CCLXXXVIII, A. (The Mouflon 

 of Sardinia.) Appears to differ from it only in its inferior size, 

 and in the deficiency or smallness of the horns in the female. 

 It is said to be also found in Crete. There are some varieties, 

 totally or partially black, and others more or less white. It is 

 probable that the 



Ov. montana; Geoff., Ann. Mus. II, pi. Ix ; Schr. CCXCIV, 

 D, (The Mouflon of America) is a species of Argali, which 

 may have crossed the sea on the ice. Its horns are very stout, 

 and are more perfectly spiral than those of the common spe- 

 cies. (1) 



Ov. tragelaphus, Cuv. ; Penn. XII; Shaw, pi. ccii, 2; Schr. 

 CCLXXXVIII, B. (The Mouflon of Africa.) Soft and red- 

 dish hair, with a long mane hanging under the neck and another 

 at each ankle ; the tail is short ; it appears to be a distinct spe- 

 cies. It inhabits the rocky districts of all Barbary; and M. 

 Geoffroy has observed it in Egypt. 



It is from the Mouflon or the Argali that we are supposed to 

 derive the innumerable races of our woolly animals, which, 

 next to the Dog, are most subject to vary. We have some of 

 them in Europe, with common and fine wool; large and small; 

 with big or little horns, wanting in the females, and in both 

 sexes. Sec. See. The most interesting varieties are those of 



(1) This is indubitably identical with the Ovis ammon, L. Am. Ed. 



