THE PLANT-EATERS OF NORTH AMERICA. 687 



Of sheep there is only one wild species in North America, the 

 Rocky-Mountain sheep, or big-horn (Ovis montana, Fig. 7). This 

 animal is of a much larger size than the ordinary domestic sheep, and 

 its horns are of enormous size. A large animal of this species weighs 

 about three hundred pounds. In Siberia there is a wild-sheep, called 

 the argali, which Cuvier believed to be the same as our big-horn. 

 It is certainly very remarkable that there should be only one species 



Fig. 7. The Mountain-Sheep (Ovis montana). 



of wild-sheep on this continent, and that that one should be confined 

 to our highest system of mountains. The inquiring mind naturally 

 asks, "Whence has this sheep come?" But this question is not easily 

 answered. It may, however, be stated here that Cuvier was inclined 

 to believe that it came from Siberia, and crossed Bekring's Straits on 

 the ice. 



The Rocky-Mountain sheep lives in flocks, and is exceedingly wild, 

 especially in regions that have been frequented by the hunters; and 

 he who would get a shot at one of these animals has often to make 

 wide detours, and always to proceed with the greatest caution. The 

 flesh of this animal is very highly prized, being regarded by some as 

 even better than venison, or ordinary mutton. The hunters tell re- 

 markable stories of the big-horn. They assert that this animal will 

 leap sometimes from high precipices, head foremost, and, striking 

 upon the tips of its enormous horns, bound away on its course as if 

 nothing had happened ! 



Characteristics belon<nn<r to different kinds of animals are some- 



