European Muflon 133 



respect to the occurrence of horns in the ewes. It is commonly stated 

 (as, for instance, in Brehm's 'licrkhcii) that the females are very seldom 

 horned. But a considerable number of those now living at Woburn 

 Abbey are furnished with small horns. And the writer has been informed 

 by Dr. Forsyth Major, who some years ago spent a considerable time on 

 the island, that all the female muflon seen by him in Sardinia were horned. 

 The same gentleman was also informed that at that time the muflon was 

 almost exterminated in Corsica, although he could obtain no information 

 with regard to whether the females on that island were horned or 

 hornless. 



In answer to inquiries on the subject Sir Edmund Loder wrote to the 

 author as follows : — 



" I have always understood that on one island the female muflon is 

 horned and on the other hornless, but I have never been clear as to where 

 the horned females are found. I have had what are called Corsican muflon 

 for many years, but do not know whether the original stock came from 

 Sardinia or Corsica ; the females never have horns. In the small herd in 

 the Monte Carlo gardens all the females are horned." 



This renders it certain that hornless females do exist — a fact which has 

 been doubted by at least one naturalist. And from the evidence of Dr. 

 Major it seems most likely that the race in which the females carry horns 

 occurs in Sardinia, while the one with hornless females is Corsican. If 

 this be so, they should be designated by distinct sub-specific titles. 



The muflons, it may be observed, form a sub-group of wild sheep 

 characterised by the ewes being at least frequently devoid of horns. 



A full-grown ram of the present species usually stands only about 

 27 inches at the withers ; and 34^ inches along the curve is the maximum 

 recorded length for the horns. In this particular instance the basal girth 

 of the horn is 8f inches, but other examples show considerably larger 

 measurements in this respect, one pair whose length is 26 inches measuring 



