NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK HOLLISTER. 553 



This animal differs considerably from the true antelopes. The 

 horns are shed annually, only the bony core persisting throughout 

 life. The pronghorn is especially hard to keep in eastern zoological 

 gardens and specimens are not always on exhibition in Washington. 

 It is a matter of great satisfaction that one example was kept in the 

 park for so long a period as five years. 



GOATS AND SHEEP. 



Goats and sheep are native to many sections of the northern parts 

 of both hemispheres, and many and diverse wild species are known. 

 They are closely related, and forms of each have long been domes- 

 ticated and bred along lines of most utility. Specimens of one of 

 these primitive domestic breeds, the Circassian goat, are kept in the 

 park. 



The tahr {Hemitragus jemlahicus) of the Himalayas and the aou- 

 dad, or Barbary sheep (Amyiotragus lervia) of northern Africa, 

 are species which connect in many features the true goats with the 

 sheep and make it difficult to draw a sharp distinction between the 

 groups. The male tahr is an animal of striking appearance, with his 

 heavy collar and mane of long, shaggy hair reaching to his knees. 

 He is an animal of the forested mountains and an exceptional 

 climber and jumper. The aoudad is another animal that attracts 

 great attention in the Zoo. Although lacking the regular beard of 

 the goat, he has extraordinarily developed hair on the neck and fore 

 limbs, and an upright mane extending to near the middle of his back. 

 The aoudad is also at home on the steep slopes that are included 

 within his paddocks. 



The Rocky Mountain sheep, or bighorn, which is known in some 

 of its geographical forms in western North America from Alaska to 

 Mexico is well represented in the park by five specimens of the typi- 

 cal form (Ovis canadensis) received from the Dominion parks branch 

 of the Canadian Government. These sheep came from the pro- 

 tected area included within the Rocky Mountains Park and were 

 shipped from Banff, Alberta. The Arizona race (0. c. gaillardi) is 

 also shown. 



An interesting form of the domestic sheep known as the Barbados 

 sheep, but which originated in Africa, is remarkable for its peculiar 

 brownish markings and short hair. The flock shown has all the ap- 

 pearance of a wild species and was received from the United States 

 Department of Agriculture. 



BISON, YAK, AND THEIR ALLIES. 



The herd of American Bison (Bison bison) maintained in the Na- 

 tional Zoological Park has been brought together from various 



