142 



THE AMERICAN ARGALI, OR ROCKY MOUN- 

 TAIN SHEEP. 



Ovis montana. DBS MA REST. 

 PLATE XIII. 



Big-Horn, Lewis and Clark. The Argali, Cook Mouflon 

 d'Amerique, Desmarest. Ovis montana, Rocky Moun- 

 tain Sheep, Richards* Faun. Bor. Americana. 



To the numerous travellers who have attempted 

 to explore the northern parts of America, this ani- 

 mal seems to have been reported (and is sometimes 

 mentioned by themselves), under the denomination 

 of sheep, goats, and deer ; and no description bearing 

 any stamp of authenticity appears to have been made 

 public, until the appearance of a paper in America 

 by Mr Macgillivray, which attracted the attention of 

 the naturalists of Europe ; and the same specimen 

 which furnished that description being sent to M. 

 Geoffroy, a figure appeared in the Anriales du Mu- 

 seum. During the late journeys of Mr Drummond 

 and Dr Richardson, many specimens have been both 

 seen and shot, and sent to the collections in Britain ; 

 and the Fauna Boreali- Americana of Dr Richardson 

 contains the latest and best figure and description, 



