262 CAMP-FIRES IN THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 



The Big-Horn Sheep is an animal of nervous-san- 

 guine temperament, not so insanely foolish as the mule 

 deer and white-tailed deer, nor yet so lymphatic as the 

 goat. It is a far more graceful walker and runner than 

 the goat, and also more agile and fleet of foot. A moun- 

 tain sheep can run over rough ground, or leap through 

 the mazes of down timber, as nimbly as any deer, and as 

 rapidly. A goat runs on level ground with the grace and 

 ease of a fat yearling calf, but not much more. 



As will be seen by a glance at the measurements re- 

 corded in this volume, the adult male goat and sheep are 

 of the same height, but the latter averages about twenty- 

 five pounds (the weight of his horns!) heavier. The 

 abundant hair on the legs of the goat makes those mem- 

 bers seem thicker and shorter than they are — which 

 is really great, — and this effect is increased by the abun- 

 dant pelage of the body, neck and head. The more slender 

 and shapely legs and finely erect carriage of the head 

 make the mountain sheep a stately and handsome ani- 

 mal, while in appearance the goat remains a zoological 

 curiosity. 



The sheep is much more alert and suspicious than the 

 goat, and most men who have hunted both animals be- 

 lieve that the vision of the former is much keener. This 

 impression may be due to greater fear, and a tendency 

 to flee at the slightest alarm. 



The hoof of the goat is distinctly larger than that 

 of a mountain sheep of the same age, and more square 

 in outline. The goat's toe is broad, and the bottom 

 of the hoof is a combination of ball and cup. The 



