86 CONSERVATION OF CANADIAN WILD LIFE 



most inaccessible parts of the mountains and afterwards 

 seek the best food areas. The rams seek the best food 

 areas, but do not move about so much as the ewes. 



The splendid trophy that the head of the white sheep 

 makes causes it to be hunted whenever and wherever pos- 

 sible. R. M. Anderson has reported the use of the skins 

 for clothing by western Eskimos, but this is not conmion 

 as the range of the sheep is largely outside of Eskimo ter- 

 ritory. The great palatabiHty of its flesh has been one of 

 the main causes of its reduction and extermination in many 

 parts of its range, especially in Alaska, where miners, pros- 

 pectors, and others have not only killed it extensively for 

 their own use but also to serve as dog food in the winter. 



No animal can stand the reduction in numbers that such 

 killing involves, and it is to be hoped that such wasteful 

 destruction of this beautiful animal will be checked by 

 more stringent regulations for its protection. The recent 

 establishment of a national park by the United States Gov- 

 ernment, in the Mount McKinley region, will do much to 

 preserve this species in that territory, and the estabUsh- 

 ment of protected areas in the Canadian range of this, the 

 most beautiful of our mountain sheep, cannot be too strongly 

 urged, especially as it would not affect the vital interests 

 of either white or native inhabitants. 



THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN GOAT 

 (plates IX AND XVl) 



The Rocky Mountain or white goat (Oreamnos montanus) 

 is another of the unique members of our native mammals. 

 It is the only representative on this continent of the numer- 

 ous wild species of goats that are found throughout Asia, 

 southern Europe, — where its nearest relative is the chamois, 

 — and northern Africa. Its home is to be found on the 

 slopes and inaccessible summits of the western mountains. 



