I 



THE GAME ANIMALS OF CANADA 77 



described by E. W. Nelson in 1884. A fourth species, 

 known as Fannin's mountain sheep, or the ''saddle-backed" 

 or ''piebald" sheep {Ovis Jannini), was described by W. T. 

 Hornaday in 1901.* This species is now considered by 

 some to be due to interbreeding between Ovis stonei and 

 Ovis dalli. Its type specimen is in the Provincial Museum 

 at Victoria, B. C, and the latter view appears to me to be 

 correct in view of the observations of Charles Sheldonf and 

 others. 



An examination of many skins and the reports of hunters 

 indicate a strong tendency among the northern mountain 

 sheep to vary in colour and thus render specific designations 

 somewhat difficult. In northern British Columbia and the 

 adjoining part of the Yukon Territory where Fannin's sad- 

 dle-backed sheep occurs, in the mountains between the home 

 of the typical Stone's black mountain sheep (0. stonei) and 

 Ball's white mountain sheep (0. dalli), sheep are found hav- 

 ing white heads and necks and with bodies of varying shades 

 of grey, produced by mixtures of dark and white hairs. 

 One may find white sheep mingling with the dark-grey or 

 grey and white sheep. There can be little doubt that in- 

 terbreeding occurs. But, while such intergrading of char- 

 acters may be found in regions adjoining or common to 

 different species, especially as mountain sheep will occasion- 

 ally extend their range, in the mountain ranges where in- 

 termingling does not occur the animals keep true to type, 

 the topographical and climatic conditions being sufficient 

 to prevent extensive intermingling. The distribution of 

 the colour variations intermediate between the black 0. 

 stonei and the white 0. dalli, including the "saddle-back" 

 sheep, 0. Jannini, is shown in the accompanying map pre- 



* Hornaday, W. T., " Notes on Mountain Sheep in North America, with 

 a Description of a New Species," Fifth Ann. Report New York Zool. Society, 

 pp. 77-122, 1901. 



t "The Wilderness of the Upper Yukon." By Charles Sheldon. Second 

 edition, New York, 1909. 



