The Mountain Sheep 223 



AMERICAN BIGHORN 



(OVIS CANADENSIS 1 ) 



The bighorn of the American continent, inclu- 

 sive of its local races (frequently regarded as dis- 

 tinct species), is a large sheep, distinguished from 

 the Asiatic argalis, among other features, by the 

 comparative smoothness of the horns, in which 

 the outer front angle is prominent, and the inner 

 one rounded off, and also by the smaller size of 

 the face glands. There is a well-marked whitish 

 patch on the rump, but the amount of white on 

 the under parts and legs shows considerable local 

 variation. In the typical Rocky Mountain race 

 (O. canadensis typica) the ears are long and 

 pointed, with short hair, and the horns, which are 

 very heavy, diverge but little outwards, and gen- 

 erally have the tips broken. The Californian 

 O. canadensis nelsoni is a paler southern race. 

 On the other hand, in O. canadensis stonei of the 

 northwest territories the color of the back is very 

 dark, and the white on the belly and legs sharply 

 defined. And both in this race and the light- 

 colored O. canadensis dalli of Alaska the horns 



1 " Records of Big Game," Rowland Ward, third edition. 



