SIXTH ANNUAL REPORT. 147 



During the winter, when unable to secure grass at high eleva- 

 tions, they descend to the edge of timber-line, and live on browse 

 from the brush until the snow has blown or melted away. I was 

 told by hunters that during severe storms they take shelter among 

 the rocks, where they often remain for a week or ten days. 



When the grass appears in the spring, the rams leave the ewes, 

 and are found singly or in small bunches. They soon become 

 fat and lazy, and, unless disturbed, often remain for days in one 

 locality. We found them feeding on grassy slopes, where they 

 spent the most of the day. Not infrequently we saw them in the 

 edge of the brush, but at night they invariably took to the crags. 

 After tiring of one feeding-ground, they moved to another. They 

 always proceeded with caution, pausing every few hundred feet 

 to survey the country. About every quarter-mile they either 

 stopped to feed, or to lie upon the rocks and sun themselves. 

 They shunned bad places, and, when compelled to cross crevices 

 or jump from high positions, slid carefully over the side, and ap- 

 peared to lower themselves as far as possible before springing 

 across the space. On striking the opposite incline they . always 

 took the utmost advantage of their momentum in going up the 

 next slope. Of course at a distance of a mile or more it was dif- 

 ficult to tell the width of the spaces crossed, but I did not see them 

 make any remarkable leaps. Mr. Hicks told me he once came 

 suddenly upon a large ram which, rather than jump ten feet to 

 a grassy slope, turned and ran toward him, passing very near. 

 I did not observe any sentinels posted to watch for the approach 

 of enemies. 



Although eagles capture a few young during lambing season, 

 the worst enemies of the white sheep are white men, Indians, 

 and wolves. As they always watch for danger from below, the 

 most successful method of stalking is for the hunter to make a 

 detour, and approach from above. 



When we arrived at the mountains, the rams and ewes had sep- 

 arated. The latter were very alert, and generally were found 

 feeding on grassy slopes close to the crags, among which they 

 took shelter at night or whenever alarmed. A bunch often re- 

 mained in the same locality for days. Several times while we 

 watched, we saw small herds take fright and bound over the rocks 

 to the high peaks, where they remained for a day or so — mere 

 white specks to the naked eye. 



