THE WOOL-BEARING ANTIJLOPE. 105 



son thinks its range of distribution may be from the 

 40th to the 64th or 65th degree of latitude. The 

 size of the animal is about that of an ordinary sheep, 

 and a resemblance exists to the Merino breed, in 

 the mode in which the fleece hangs down the sides. 

 The ears are pointed. The horns are awl-shaped, 

 sharp, pointed, and nearly erect, having but a slight 

 curvature and inclination backwards ; they are mark- 

 ed at the base with rings, which disappear about 

 half-way up, and towards the tips they are remark- 

 ably even, smooth and polished, their surface through- 

 out black and shining. The colour of the fleece is 

 entirely white : it is composed of long straight hair, 

 abundant on the shoulders, back, neck, and thighs, 

 coarser than the wool of sheep, but finer than that 

 of goats. The flesh is in little esteem as food. The 

 Indians make caps and saddles of its skin. * The 

 fleece, though thought by some to be available in 

 our finer manufactures, has not yet been made use 

 of or introduced. 



* Hu-hardson. 



