OXEN , SHEEP, AND GOAT FAMILY 



51 



Generally speaking, the range of the Bighorn 

 extends from the northern States of old Mexico 

 to northern British Columbia, and from the 

 eastern base of the Rocky Mountains to the 

 Pacific Coast. There are many mountain ranges, 

 however, within these limits, in which it has 

 never been found. In Alaska it is replaced by 

 the White Sheep (Oz'is dalli), and in the Cas- 

 siar Mountains by the Black Sheep (Ovis 

 stonc'i). This animal has few characteristics 

 in common with the domestic Sheep. The horns 

 of the wild ram resemble somewhat those of 

 the domestic species, although more massive. 



ing in the valley below. So swift is the descent 

 that, seen from below at a distance, these pauses 

 are often scarcely apparent. 



" The Bighorn," says Singer, " is one of the 

 wildest, shyest and most difficult to hunt, suc- 

 cessfully, of all American game animals. His 

 habitat being the highest, roughest and most 

 forbidding mountain ranges, it is only by the 

 most arduous toil, wearisome and in many cases 

 dangerous climbing, that the hunter can reach the 

 home of the Sheep at all. After one has toiled 

 for hours he will be fortunate if a capricious 

 current of wind, so often fatal to the success 



BIGHORN EWE 

 As it takes its observation from a spur of rock, this mountain ewe completes an ideal study for a sculptor 



The wild ewe has horns from six to eight inches 

 long that curve backward, whereas the domestic 

 ewe has none. 



The lofty crags of the Rocky Mountain 

 National Park are the natural home of the Big- 

 horn. This animal is much larger than any 

 domestic Sheep. It is powerful and wonderfully 

 agile. When pursued these Sheep, even the 

 lambs, unhesitatingly leap oflf precipitous clififs. 

 Of course, they strike friendly ledges every 

 few feet to break the fall, but these ledges 

 often are not wide enough to stand upon ; they 

 are mere rocky excrescences a foot or less in 

 width, from which the Sheep plunge to the next 

 and the next, and so on till they reach good foot- 



of mountain hunters, does not sweep round in a 

 direction exactly opposite to that from which it 

 has been blowing, and carry the scent of the 

 hunter to the keen nostrils of the quarry." 



Persistent killing has largely reduced its num- 

 bers. An estimate, made only a few years ago, 

 gave the following figures : Arizona, a few, very 

 widely scattered, small bands ; Colorado ( after 

 twenty-five years' unbroken protection), 3500; 

 Utah, probably quite extinct; W'yoming, 100; 

 Yellowstone National Park, 210 head, " safe and 

 sound and slowly increasing;" Glacier Park, 

 700; Idaho, a remnant of, sav 200; Montana, 

 100; Alberta and British Columbia, some fine 

 herds and three preserves in which thev are 



