286 ACCESSIBLE FIELD SPORTS. 



of their life. Their wool is remarkably soft, long, and 

 densely close ; so that at a small distance, if they are 

 walking over irregular- surfaced soil, their feet are 

 scarcely seen, the body of surrounding fringe giving 

 the observer the impression which would arise if you 

 saw an animal surrounded with a petticoat. Their 

 colour is much the same as that of the buffaloes of 

 the plains, possibly a little darker, and at a distance 

 they might easily be mistaken for them ; but on closer 

 inspection the delusion cannot continue, for their out- 

 line of form, sheep-like movement and figure, at once 

 corrects the error. In height they stand from eleven 

 and a half to twelve and a half hands, the males 

 being the largest and most cumbersome in appearance. 

 Their legs are excessively short, and gifted with great 

 muscular power, while the track of their hoof is about 

 the size of a two-year-old steer's, but straighter and less 

 pointed. The head is ornamented with handsome horns 

 which almost unite at the base, and taper off with grace- 

 ful, handsome sweeps to sharp points, which are gene- 

 rally in the mature animal on a level with the eyes. 

 The nose is covered with soft downy hair, and the eye, 

 which is large and full, gives the physiognomy an in- 

 telligent look, which would induce the belief that no 

 great difficulty would occur to prevent their domesti- 

 cation. If such could be effected, great benefit might 



