262 FAUNA AMERICANA. 



precipices inaccessible to other animals; they leap 

 from rock to rock, at great distances, and with 

 incredible velocity ; they go in troops of twenty 

 or thirty individuals ; they copulate in spring and 

 autumn ; the female brings forth one or two at a 

 birth ; during the rutting season the males engage 

 in furious combats, and often break off each other's 

 horns. 



Inhabit the great Asiatic chain of mountains, 

 particularly those which run north-east into Tar- 

 tary. According to Gmelin, they inhabit southern 

 Siberia. In North America, they inhabit the 

 Rocky Mountains, about the fiftieth degree of 

 north latitude, and the hundred and fifteenth de- 

 gree of west longitude, extending south into Cali- 

 fornia. 



It is the opinion of eminent naturalists, that the 

 Argali of both continents form but one species, 

 having passed originally from one country to the 

 other on the ice. They are supposed also to con- 

 stitute the original stock of our domestic sheep. 

 A figure of this animal was published by Venegas 

 in 1758, under the name of Tmje or Tage. JVo- 

 ticia cle la California, vol. i. p. {>6. printed at 

 Madrid. 



In the New York Medical Repository, (vol. vi. 

 p. 238, 1803,) is a description, accompanied with 

 an indifferent figure, of the Argali of North Ame- 

 rica, under the name of "Mountain Ram," by Mr. 

 M'Giliivray, who states, that when travelling 



