OVINE ANTELOPE. 245 



the tropics. Nor is it unworthy of remark, as a 

 curious fact connected with the geographical distri- 

 bution of animals, that the ruminating species do 

 not willingly extend over latitudes of different tem- 

 perature ; and that whenever this occurs, we may 

 generally find that they have journeyed across high 

 mountain ridges, where the difference of climate 

 was not considerable. 



The specimen brought to Europe, and noticed by 

 the Editors of Cuvier's Animal Kingdom^ was killed 

 by the Musquito Indians in a rocky forest, not far 

 from the river St. Juan, and the lake of Maracaibo. 

 Those which inhabit the vast plains that extend on 

 the shores of the upper Missouri, find means to 

 render the prickly pear subservient to their necessi- 

 ties, notwithstanding its terrific thorns, by cutting it 

 up with their hoofs. But, in general, they feed on 

 the cones of different species of wild pine, on aro- 

 matic shrubs, and on those rich grasses which grow 

 luxuriantly beside the forests, or 



Where in the sunny valleys you may see 

 The wild deer sporting on the meadow ground, 

 And, here and there, a solitary tree, 

 Or mossy stone, or rock with woodbine crown'd. 

 Where oft the cliffs reverberate the sound 

 Of parted fragments tumbling from on high ; 

 And from the summit of that craggy mound 

 The perching eagle oft is heard to cry, 

 Or on resounding wings to shoot athwart the sky. 



BE AT TIE'S Minstrel. 



Wool-bearing animals are uniformly meek and 

 inoffensive creatures, and capable of domestication, 

 because essential to the comforts of civilized life. 



