Rocky Mountain Bicrhorn 213 



the domestic merinos, with which they sometimes associate on the prairie. 

 I do not think that they can he reared in captivity without some kind of 

 wild sage. They resemble mule-deer in frequenting a certain range of bad- 

 lands, and always watering at the same spring, hut are more shy, deserting 

 the locality at the first alarm. In time of security the ficK'k is led by an 

 old ram, but when danger threatens he becomes a rearguard, and a ewe 

 assumes the lead. This ram (excepting during the pairing season) would 

 appear to be the usual sentinel, as he may be seen on the top of a high 

 butte, while all the rest of the flock are hidden in gulches below — but no 

 demoralisation occurs it the leader is killed, another sheep taking the 

 initiative, and the flock quickly vanishing. 



About the second week in November the old rams fight savagely for 

 the ewes ; but the young rams pair earlier, and I shot a five-year-old which 

 had collected some ewes on 29th October. The victors collect and herd 

 as many ewes as they can, from five to a dozen being a usual number with 

 one ram, while the disappointed males wander about alone ; but the 

 possessor of ewes may lose them at any time, solitary rams being always on 

 the lookout to give battle. The yearling and two-year-old rams remain 

 with the ewes ; and although occasionally chased away by him, in the 

 main the leader pays but little attention to them. 



When the pairing season is over the sheep ot all ages and both sexes 

 flock together again until May, when the ewes drop out singly from the 

 main body to bring forth their lambs. At this time large flocks of rams 

 may be seen, locally called " buck herds " ; twenty-three ot all ages, h'om 

 yearlings upwards, having been counted in the bad-lands opposite Terry. 

 The ewes generally have a single lamb at a birth, although rarely they are 

 followed by twins. The dam carefully conceals the newly-born lamb 

 amidst sage-brush or weeds in the bad-lands, from which she never goes 

 any considerable distance. In three or four days the lamb, which resembles 

 the parents in colour, comes out of its concealment to follow the ewe, and 



