THE BIG HOEN SHEEP. 133 



unhesitatingly retire into regions covered with perpetual 

 snow, and nature seems to have so well provided for such 

 occasions, that they appear to do so -without suffering 

 inconvenience. From my own experience I have formed 

 the conclusion that both the above animals are partially 

 nocturnal ; by this I do not wish it to be understood that 

 they wander about when it is impenetrably dark, but that 

 when star or moonlight occurs they avail themselves of its 

 use to descend from their mountain fastnesses into the 

 valleys beneath in search of favourite food, a performance 

 which they never attempt during daylight, except in such 

 regions as their enemy, man, seldom or never intrudes. 



Although this game is far from scarce, the traveller 

 through their habitat would imagine that such was the 

 case from the few opportunities offered of seeing them 

 alive ; but if attention be paid to all that surrounds his 

 path, and who, that is a hunter, does not do so when in 

 regions where danger besets him ? he will discover such 

 quantities of skulls, horns, and bones that tell as plainly 

 as words can express, that he is traversing the feeding- 

 grounds of numerous invisible herds. I have occasionally 

 been vouchsafed a shot at the big-horn when least 

 expected ; but so seldom has this occurred, that such 

 episodes have become engrafted in my memory. However, 

 if willing to bear fatigue and exposure, the person desirous 

 of adding them to the list of game that has fallen to his 

 rifle, can easily do so by following the advice I am about 

 to give. Being satisfied from tracks and other evidences 

 that they frequent a neighbourhood, endeavour to discover 

 by their trail from what portion of the mountain sides 



