132 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



CHAPTER IX. 



BIG HORN AND ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



THE big horn and Rocky Mountain sheep are to the 

 continent of North America what the ibex and chamois 

 are to Europe. However, there is no great similarity of 

 appearance between these representatives of the eastern 

 and western world, although the differences are no greater 

 than can be found between races of sheep and goats. 

 From what I have said, the reader will be prepared to 

 learn that both these interesting animals are inhabitants of 

 mountain districts, searching for their food and enjoying 

 their gambols upon the verge of the precipitous sierras, 

 where mortals' tread dare not touch, where the slightest 

 false step, the slightest hesitation, would hurl them down 

 to inevitable destruction. 



The elevation of the situations they select for their 

 resting places is doubtless governed by temperature ; thus 

 they ascend to greater altitudes in summer than in winter; 

 at the same time, if compelled through alarm, they will 



