VOL. XI, PP. 217-218 JULY 15, 1897 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



OVIS NELSONI, A NEW MOUNTAIN SHEEP FROM THE 

 DESERT REGION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 



BY C. HART MERRIAM. 



Mountain sheep were found by the Death Valley Expedition 

 in several of the desert ranges of southern California and south 

 ern Nevada, where ten specimens were secured by Mr. E. W. 

 Nelson. They were killed in the northern continuation of the 

 Funeral Mountains, locally known as the 'Grapevine Range.' 

 Compared with the well known Bighorn of the Rocky Moun 

 tains and Cascade-Sierra system, they are much paler in color, 

 somewhat smaller in size, and have very much smaller molar 

 teeth. Compared with Ovis slonei recently described by Dr. 

 Allen, the contrast in color is even more marked ; but the pat 

 tern seems to be the same, and the darkening of the under parts 

 and legs is also a character of stonei. In the absence of neces 

 sary material for comparison it seems best to treat the new form 

 as a full species. 



The geographic range of the southern Bighorn is unknown, 

 but it is probable that all of the sheep of the semi-barren desert 

 ranges of Mexico and the southern United States, from Texas to 

 California, belong to the present form. 



It is a noteworthy coincidence that Mr. Nelson, who in north 

 ern Alaska discovered and named the northernmost American 

 Sheep (Ovis dalli), should also secure, in the Sonoran deserts of 

 California, the southernmost representative of the group. In 

 view of these facts, it seems peculiarly appropriate that the new 

 sheep should perpetuate Mr. Nelson's name, which I take pleas 

 ure in bestowing upon it. 



49 Btou Soc. WASH., VOL. XI, 1897 (217) 



