SHEEP. 



215 



Varieties. 



four hundred miles to the eastwards of the Rocky Mountains, inhabiting the so- 

 called " Bad Lands " of these districts. 



According to the observations of Col. J. Biddulph there are two 

 distinct varieties of this sheep, the one inhabiting the northern, and 

 the other the southern portion of its distributional area. The southern variety is 

 characterised by its large skull and very massive horns ; the tips of the latter being 

 generally broken and directed forwards. The ears are large, broad, pointed, and 

 deer-like, with hair of only very moderate length. In the northern race, on the 

 other hand, the skull is smaller, and the horns less massive, with their tips generally 



THE AMERICAN WILD SHEEP OR BIGHORN (^ nat. size). 



entire, and directed outwards, as in the skull of the Kamschatkan species repre- 

 sented in the figure on p. 214. The ears are small and thickly furred, with blunted 

 extremities ; and there is a tuft of long hair between the ears at the back of the 

 horns. There are, moreover, certain differences in the coloration of the legs in the 

 two races ; and it does not appear that the southern one ever assumes the dark 

 winter coat frequently found in the northern variety. 



The American wild sheep is described as one of the wildest and 

 most wary of all the large mammals of North America ; and since it 

 appears to inhabit more difficult and rugged ground than many of the other species, 

 its successful pursuit is proportionately difficult. Mr. J. Muir writes that " in 

 spring and summer the full-grown rams form separate bands of from three to 



Habits. 



