WOOL-BEARING ANTELOPE. 243 



Passing over a variety of groups and genera, which 

 belong to the ancient continents, we notice in 

 the Apolocerine Tribe, the wool-bearing Antelope 

 (A. lanigera\ the Ovine, and the Chichiltic. The 

 first of these interesting animals was observed by 

 Lewis and Clark as low down as the forty -fifth 

 degree of north latitude, though it chiefly affects the 

 elevated regions of the Rocky Mountains, and those 

 near the head waters of the Columbia. The sources 

 of muddy rivers, such as the Saskachiwin, and Atha- 

 bayca, are some of their favourite resorts, but they 

 are said to be less numerous on the eastern than the 

 western slope of the Rocky Mountains. Genuine 

 mountaineers, they are, rarely, if ever, seen at a dis- 

 tance from their own upland haunts, of which the 

 climate and productions seem best adapted to their 

 nature and mode of life. At the beginning of 

 summer they hasten to the peaks and ridges in quest 

 of pasture, but they retire to more sheltered places 

 during winter. 



He who visits those stern regions when autumn is 

 receding from the glens and valleys, may see troops 

 of these wild creatures coming down the mountains. 

 None of the animal creation are more in harmony 

 with the solitudes of nature ; their long hair stands 

 erect, and gives them a most shaggy appearance ; 

 their ears are rather long and pointed, and a pro- 

 fusion of hair, depending from either side of the 

 face, and beneath the throat, streams like a beard 

 upon the wind in their rapid and perilous descent. 

 Their flesh has a musky flavour, and is, at best, 

 unsavoury ; and hence, though they are easily ap- 

 proached, the hunter rarely pursues them unless 



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