American Big Game in its Haunts 



superb species will increase and do well. Alert, 

 quick-witted, strong, fleet and active, it is one of 

 the most beautiful and most imposing of North 

 American animals. Equally at home on the 

 frozen snowbanks of the mountain top, or in the 

 parched deserts of the south, dwelling alike among 

 the rocks, in the timber, or on the prairie, the 

 mountain sheep shows himself adaptable to all 

 conditions, and should surely have the best pro- 

 tection that we can give him. 



I shall never forget a scene witnessed many 

 years ago, long before railroads penetrated the 

 Northwest. I was floating down the Missouri 

 River in a mackinaw boat, the sun just topping the 

 high bad land bluffs to the east, when a splendid 

 ram stepped out, upon a point far above the water, 

 and stood there outlined against the sky. Motion- 

 less, with head thrown back, and in an attitude of 

 attention, he calmly inspected the vessel floating 

 along below him; so beautiful an object amid his 

 wild surroundings, and with his background of 

 brilliant sky, that no hand was stretched out for 

 the rifle, but the boat floated quietly on past him, 

 and out of sight. 



George Bird Grinnell. 

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