158 Sh 



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which at the pairing season spHt up into small parties consisting ot one old 

 ram and several ewes. Mr. Buxton speaks ot never having seen more than 

 a dozen in company ; and also states that the old rams were sometimes 

 solitary, but more often in small companies by themselves, while the 

 young rams generally went about with the ewes. During December 

 and January the old rams are much given to hghting among themselves. 

 In April or May the ewes give birth to their young, of which there may 

 be either one or two at a time ; and these are able to run with their 

 mothers within a few days of their appearance in the world. If suffi- 

 ciently hung, the tiesh of the rams is excellent tor the table when the 

 animals are in good condition ; but in the latter part ot the winter they 

 become excessivelv lean, and the quality ot the meat is then inferior. As 

 is the case with the bharal, the meat is probably in its best condition about 

 September. Mutlon will breed with domesticated sheep. 



Mr. Buxton's account in Short Sui/ks of the muflon in its native haunts 

 is so excellent that it mav be quoted //; cxicnso : — "Though he lives on 

 ground more or less steep, it is easy, and he has no occasion tor any 

 remarkable feats of agility. On the other hand, his best safeguard lies in 

 the dense macquia which covers the hills. At this elevation it is exclusively 

 composed of the tall ' bruyere ' heather, from which the so-called ' briar- 

 root ' pipes are made. This grows from two to six feet high. It this 

 covert were continuous, it would of course be impossible to see an animal 

 which stands little over two feet, but much ot it has been burnt, and there 

 are natural openings beside. It is in these openings that he must be 

 sought when feeding. As all wild sheep are constitutionally restless, and 

 never remain long in one place, it will be understood how difficult it is, 

 even when thev have been spied, to hold them with the glass. They are 

 constantly disappearing in the inucqiild, and have to be retound again and 

 again before a stalk can be successfully effected. When they arc alarmed 

 or ' at gaze,' they have a habit, or at least the rams have, ot placing them- 



