48 



MAMMALS OF AMERICA 



A very circumstantial account of this defen- 

 sive formation of the Musk-Ox is given in Pro- 

 fessor Nourse's "American Exploration in the 

 Ice Zone." As it shows how the native hunters 

 turn it to advantage, it is reproduced here : 

 " When the band was surrounded, and as soon 

 as they perceived that the dogs were slipped. 

 they formed into their usual one circle of defence 

 — a Musk-bull battery of nine solid battering 

 heads and twice the number of sharpened horns. 

 The dogs were quickly at these heads, barking 

 and jumping back and forward. After a few 

 minutes watch of the movements of dog versus 

 bull and bull versus dog. Tn-nook-pro-zhee-jork 



went forward to within twelve feet of a large 

 bull, carrying a lance which had a line attached 

 by which he could draw it back ; but at his 

 second throw the wounded and infuriated bull 

 made a fearful forward plunge, from the effects 

 of which the hunter and his companions escaped 

 only by a very timely jump to the left. The bull 

 was soon again brought to bay. On-ne-la then 

 pulled trigger on another noble bull of the circle 

 of defence, and Pa-pa shot the one which had 

 been lanced, when at the noise of these guns the 

 whole circle bolted away except two. who stood 

 their ground, side by side, long after the whole 

 fisrht was ended." 



ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP 

 Ovis cervina I >csnnirrst 



Other Name. — Bighorn. 



General Description. — The Rocky Mountain Big- 

 horn is a large wild sheep reaching a weight of about 

 350 pounds for the male. Body stout. Nose narrow, 

 chin beardless. Ears small, pointed, hairy. Tail short, 

 pointed. Lateral hoofs present, main hoofs large with 

 spongy cushion. Glands between hoofs and below eyes. 

 Head broadest between eyes. Both se.xes horned, the 

 horns of the male much the larger. Horns curving 

 regularly backward, outward and downward, in a 

 majestic spiral sweep. Transverse ridges on horns. 

 Horns never shed. Hair of medium length, rather 

 coarse and brittle. Color grayish-brown with patch of 

 whitish on buttocks and above tail. Horns and hoofs 

 blackish. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, "—'' ; Canines, '^^ ; Pre- 



4— t o — o 



molars, ^^' ; Molars, --^=-52. 



3—3 3—3 •' ... 



Pelage. — .\dults : Not much seasonal variation. 

 Sexes alike. General body color grayish-brown, dark- 

 est along dorsal line. Face ashy-gray, neck grayish- 

 brown tinged with plumbeous. Under parts, buttocks, 

 inside of legs, on each side of base of tail, and upper 

 part of throat whitish. Legs dark grayish-brown. Tail 

 above like back. Young: Pelage much as in adults. 



Measurements. — Length, male. 5 feet ; height at 

 shoulder. 40 inches ; tail. 3 to 5 inches ; girth around 

 chest, 4 feet. Horns of male, 40 to 50 inches around 

 curve; circumference at base, 15 to 16 inches. Female 

 smaller. 



Range. — High moijntain ranges from the Colorado 

 River and .Arizona into British Columbia. 



Food. — Grass, plants and twigs of shrubs. 



Remarks.— The Rocky Mountain Bighorn is found 

 for the most part in rough broken country where his 

 peculiar adaptations enable him to elude his enemies, 

 the soft spongy nature of his hoofs giving him sure 

 footing over the most precipitous places. The Bighorn 

 is protectively colored and m response to his habitat 

 has evolved a variety of color schemes in his pelage 

 according to where he is found. It is largely upon this 

 basis that the different varieties of mountain sheep have 

 been classified. 



Rel.\ted Species 



Rocky Mountain Bighorn. — Oz-is ccrriiia cervina 

 Desniarest. The typical form as described above. 

 Mountain regions from .\rizona and Colorado River, 

 north into British Columbia and Alberta. 



Audubon Bighorn. — Ovis cervina atiduhoni Mer- 

 riani. Molar teeth larger, lower jaw heavier and 

 deeper. Bad Lands of South Dakota. 



California Bighorn. — Ovis cervina calif orniana 

 (Douglas). Very similar to the typical form. Cascade 

 Mountains of southern Washington and Oregon ; 

 Mount Shasta and mountains of northern California; 

 now probably extinct. 



Mexican Bighorn. — Ovis cervina inexicana Mer- 

 riam. Much larger ears, horns longer but less massive, 

 paler in color, hoofs larger than the typical form. 

 Texas. New Mexico and Arizona. 



Gaillard Bighorn. — Ovis cervina gaillardi Mearns. 

 Very small with small feet. Pelage very pale. Rump 

 patch not sharply defined. Arizona. 



