THE GAME ANIMALS OF CANADA 79 



Chilcotin regions. In spite of long persecution — the slaugh- 

 ter by sportsmen for a trophy that is prized above all others, 

 and by white men and particularly Indians for meat, for its 

 flesh is of the most savoury kind — it has managed to hold 

 its own. 



Habits. — The Rocky Mountain sheep prefers the high 

 mountain meadows at timber-line, where small bands will 

 graze on the rich vegetation usually found there. Partic- 

 ularly do they prefer a grassy meadow or slope, one side of 

 which falls away in precipitous crags, with talus below, by 

 which route their marvellous agility in climbing rocks will 

 enable them to make their escape should danger arise. The 

 rams and ewes form separate flocks in the spring, and feed 

 in separate pastures until late in the fall, when they inter- 

 mingle again. The young are bom between May 15 

 and June 15, sometimes on the high snow-fields, or in 

 sheltered places among the rocks near the timber-hne. 

 The chief enemies of the lambs in the spring are the golden 

 and bald eagles. When stress of weather drives the small 

 flocks to lower altitudes they are subject to the attacks of 

 such predatory animals as wolves, coyotes, and cougars 

 or mountain lions. 



The horns of the Rocky Mountain sheep are massive and 

 thick, and not so widely spread as in other species. The 

 largest horns ever taken of which I can find a record are 

 claimed to have measured eighteen and one-half inches in 

 circumference at the base and fifty-two and one-half inches 

 in length round the curve. This ram was taken in the Sel- 

 kirk Mountains. Fine horns are often spoiled by being 

 "stubbed" at the end by fighting, and by wearing away 

 owing to striking the horns against rocks and rubbing them. 

 There is a large amount of variation to be found in the 

 weight and thickness of the horns of races of this species 

 from different localities; for example, the horns of sheep 

 found in the Lillooet region of British Columbia are usually 



