The Sheep and Goats 



223 



Photo by J. T. atteman] [Berkliamstcd. 



BARBARY SHEEP. 

 These fine wild sheep are found in the Atlas and Aures Mountains of Jsorth Africa. 



The TIBETAN ARGALI is a little 

 smaller in size, and has slightly 

 smaller horns. The rams have also 

 a large white ruff on the throat. 

 These sheep descend in winter to the 

 lower valleys of the Tibetan plateau, 

 returning to the higher ground in 

 spring. The lambs are born in May 

 or June. 



LITTLEDALE'S SHEEP is a smaller 

 animal, found on the Sair Mountains 

 in the Great Altai, on the north- 

 western border of Mongolia. It is 

 darker in colour than the argali or 

 Marco Polo's sheep, and has dark 

 under-parts. 



Writing of the argali of Southern 

 Siberia, the naturalist Brehm says 

 that when the Tartars want mutton 

 an argali hunt is organised. The 

 Tartar hunters advance on their horses 

 at intervals of 200 or 300 yards, and 

 when the sheep are started generally 

 manage, by riding, shooting, coursing them with dogs, and shouting, to bewilder, shoot, or 

 capture several. 



On the high plateau of the Pamirs and the adjacent districts MARCO POLO'S SHEEP is 

 found. The rams are only slightly less in size than the Siberian argali ; the hair is longer than 

 in that species, and the horns are thinner and more slender and extend farther in an outward 

 direction. An adult ram may weigh 22 stone. The first description of this sheep was given 

 by the old traveller whose name it now bears. He said that on the Pamir plateau wild 



animals are met with in large numbers, 

 particularly a sheep of great size, 

 having horns three, four, and even 

 six palms in length, The shepherds 

 (? hunters) form ladles and vessels 

 from them. In the Pamirs, Marco 

 Polo's sheep is seldom found at less 

 than 11,000 or 12,000 feet above the 

 sea. In the Thian-shan Mountains 

 it is said to descend to 2,000 or 

 3,000 feet. They prefer the hilly, 

 grassy plains, and only seek the hills 

 for safety. On the Pamirs they are 

 said to be very numerous in places, 

 one hunter stating that he saw in 

 one day not less than 600 head. 



THE BIGHORN SHEEP OF AMERICA 

 AND KAMCHATKA. 



Photo by H". P. Sand 



BARBARY SHEEP. 



This shows a fine ram, with a mane reaching almost to its hoofs. 



.North America has its parallel 

 to the argalis in the famous BIGHORN. 

 It is now very rare even in Northern 



