2б4 MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



rock, in summer more often on the northern side, 

 probably for the sake of coolness ; here they will lie 

 on their side, stretch out their legs like a dog, and 

 doze. 



The pairing season of these animals, according 

 to the Monofols, is in November, and lasts about a 

 month. At such times the call-note of the males is 

 very similar to the bleating of goats, and may be 

 heard day and night ; at this season they fight 

 furiously with one another. But they often fight 

 at other times, and the ends of the horns of full- 

 grown males are constantly broken owing to their 

 pugnacious disposition. The young mountain sheep 

 are born in May and remain with the mother till 

 the next rutting season. 



The chase after the kuku-yaman is exceedingly 

 difficult, but some of the Ala-shan Mongols are 

 expert hunters, and kill them with their match- 

 locks. The inferiority of their guns is compen- 

 sated for by a perfect knowledge of the country 

 and habits of the animal. A full-grown ram yields 

 about seventy-two pounds of meat ; in autumn they 

 are very fat and their flesh good to eat. The skins 

 are sewn into bags and articles of clothing by the 

 Mongols. 



During our excursion in these mountains my 

 friend and I passed days together in the chase. 

 Ignorant of the locality, I provided myself with a 

 Mongol hunter as a guide who was thoroughly 

 acquainted with the mountains and tlie habits of 

 the kuku-yamans. At early dawn we would leave 



