HISTORY OF THE SHEEP. 147 



seems more made for agility and strength than that of the 

 common sheep ; and the moufflon is actually found to live 

 in a savage state, and maintain itself, either by force or 

 swiftness, against all the animals that live by rapine. 

 Such is its extreme speed, that many have been inclined 

 rather to rank it among the deer kind, than the sheep. 

 But in this they are deceived, as the musmon has a mark 

 that entirely distinguishes it from that species, being known 

 never to shed its horns. In some, these are seen to grow 

 to a surprising size ; many of them measuring, in their 

 convolutions, above two ells long. They are of a yellow 

 color, as was sa,id ; but the older the animal grows, the 

 darker the horns become : with these they often maintain 

 very furious battles between each other ; and sometimes 

 they are found broken off in such a manner, that the small 

 animals of the forest creep into the cavity for shelter. 

 When the musmon is seen standing on the plain, his fore- 

 legs are always straight, while his hinder legs seem bent 

 under him; but in cases of more active necessity, this 

 seeming deformity is removed, and he moves with great 

 swiftness and agility. The female very much resembles 

 the male .of this species, but that she is less, and her horns 

 also are never seen to grow to that prodigious size they are 

 of in the wild ram. Such is the sheep in its savage state ; 

 a bold, noble, and beautiful animal : but it is not the most 

 beautiful creatures that are always found most useful to 

 man. Human industry has therefore destroyed its grace, 

 to improve its utility. 



