Vol. XI, pp. 217-218 July 15, 1897 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



OVIS NELSONl A NEW MOUNTAIN SHEEP FROM THE 

 DESERT REGION OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. 



BY C. HART MERRIAM. . 



Mount:iiU sheep were found by tlie Death Valle}' I{]x])editioii 

 in several of the desert ranges of southern California and south- 

 ern Nevada, where ten specimens were secured b}^ Mr. E. \V. 

 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 ])aler in color, 

 somewhat smaller in size, and have very much smaller molar 

 teeth. Compared with Ovis aionei 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 geograi)hic range of the southern liigborn 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 {Ovk chdll), should also secure, in the Sonoran deserts of 

 California, the southernmost representative of the group. In 

 view of these facts, it seems peculiarly api)ro})riate that the new 

 sheep should perpetuate Mr. Nelson's name, which I take ])]eas- 

 ure in bestowing upon it. 



49— Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XI, 1897 (217) 



