14 THE NATURAL HISTORY OF ALASKA. 



view, is the white mountain sheep. This sheep is a variety of 

 the Bighorn, found in the Rocky Mountains, and in the northern 

 parts of Alaska, it becomes pure white in colour. 



There is a variety found in Southern Alaska, which is darker 

 in colour, and is known as the Ovis Slonei. 



Another variety found in Central Alaska, in the neighbourhood 

 of Dawson and the Yukon, is called the Ovis Fannini. 



The third, and by far the most numerous variety, the Ovis 

 Dalit, is found along the N.W. coasts of Alaska, and is very 

 plentiful along the mountain ranges on the Kenai Peninsula. 

 I have counted as many as 130 of these fine sheep in one flock 

 on the sides of a mountain in Cook's Inlet. The rams' horns are 

 very graceful in shape, and I have some which attain a measure- 

 ment of 39 inches round the curve from the base to tip, and 

 14!- inches round the base of the horn. This sheep stands 

 nearly 3 feet high at the shoulder, and has a coat of long hair, 

 closely resembling the skin of a deer. Until a few years ago 

 they were quite unknown to naturalists and sportsmen, and even 

 to-day, although numerous in Alaska, very few specimens have 

 been seen in Europe. 



Mention may here be made of the so-called Antelope-goat 

 which is found in Alaska, as far north as lat. 62. It has very 

 short legs, pointed ears, and is covered with a long shaggy 

 white hair, which stands erect on its back, but hangs long and 

 ragged all over its body. This animal has a large hump over 

 its withers, and horns black in colour, curving backwards about 

 6 to 10 inches in length. This ungainly beast inhabits the most 

 inaccessible precipices and mountain crags, over which it travels 

 with surprising ease and fearlessness. 



The subject of ornithology in Alaska is far too large to be 

 dealt with even briefly here. Like all other branches of natural 

 history in the country, it has barely been touched as yet by 

 American naturalists. During 1903, for the first time, an 

 expedition was sent out from the New York Museum, under the 

 direction of Mr. A. J. Stone, a keen and practical naturalist. 

 I encountered his party on more than one occasion. He showed 



