128 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



wish it to be understood that they wander about when 

 it is impenetrably dark, but that when star- or moon- 

 light occurs they avail themselves of its use to descend 

 from their mountain fastnesses into the valleys beneath 

 in search of favourite food, a performance which they 

 never attempt during daylight, except in such regions 

 as their enemy, man, seldom or never intrudes. 



Although this game is far from scarce, the traveller 

 through their habitat would imagine that such was the 

 case from the few opportunities offered of seeing them 

 alive; but if attention be paid to all that surrounds 

 his path, and who, that is a hunter, does not do so 

 when in regions where danger ever besets him ? he 

 will discover such quantities of skulls, horns, and bones 

 that tell as plainly as words can express, that he is 

 traversing the feeding-grounds of numerous invisible 

 herds. I have occasionally been vouchsafed a shot at the 

 big-horn when least expected ; but so seldom has this 

 occurred, that such episodes have become engrafted in 

 my memory. However, if willing to bear fatigue and 

 exposure, the person desirous of adding them to the 

 list of game that has fallen to his rifle, can easily do so 

 by following the advice I am about to give. Being 

 satisfied from tracks and other evidences that they 

 frequent a neighbourhood, endeavour to discover by 

 their trail from what portion of the mountain sides 

 they descend into the valley to make their nocturnal 

 foray. This is not difficult to find out, for, this game 

 always travels in single file, and generally through the 

 same passes, their path thus is as easily distinguish- 

 able as that of sheep over heather-clad hills. Hours 

 before break of day, for many may be the weary miles 

 of climbing before you make a detour to leeward so as 



