THE MUFFLON. 101 



from rock to rock, gaining places so steep that no 

 human foot could reach them. 



Important zoological questions have arisen with 

 reference to this animal. It is said that Buifon con- 

 sidered it to be the original stock of the different 

 varieties of the domestic sheep. 



"I do not know from my own experience, " writes 

 M. H. Aucapitaine, " anything 'to justify this assertion. 



" In Corsica, the country of the mufflon, one ought to 

 be able most easily to discover the connection between 

 this animal and the sheep of the country. Now there 

 seems to be no affinity between these two species, 

 notwithstanding the fact that the Corsican shepherds 

 leave their flocks at full liberty in the higher regions of 

 the mountains, where the mufflons could most easily 

 mingle with the sheep. No cross has ever been ob- 

 served between these animals, except in exclusive cases 

 when the mufflons were in captivity. Unfortunately, 

 so far as I know, the results of these couplings have 

 nowhere been followed up." 



On the other hand, the Prince P. N. Buonaparte 

 writes : 



" The mufflon reproduces itself when in cap 

 tivity, both with the sheep and the goat. In both 

 cases the mixed breed is prolific. These facts have 

 been many times established, both by ourselves and by 

 many other inhabitants of Corsica ; and they upset 



