ARCTIC LAND QUADRUPEDS AND BIRDS. 



41 



Island, or even Smith's Sound, where a number of its bones were found by 

 Dr. Kane. In September it withdraws more to the south, and spends the 

 coldest months on the verge of the forest region. Like the reindeer, it sub- 

 sists chiefly on lichens and grasses. It runs nimbly, and climbs hills and rocks 

 with great ease. Its fossil remains, or those of a very analogous species, have 

 been discovered in Siberia : at present it is exclusively confined to the New 

 World. 



In the Rocky Mountains, from the Mexican Cordillera plateaux as far as 68 

 N. lat., dwells the wild sheep (Ovis montana), distinguished by the almost cir- 

 cular bend of its large, triangular, transversely striped horns, from its relative 



the Siberian argali ( Ovis argali), which is supposed to be the parent of our do- 

 mestic sheep, and far surpasses it in size and delicacy of flesh. Both the Amer- 

 ican and the Asiatic wild sheep are in the highest degree active and vigorous, 

 ascending abrupt precipices with great agility, and, like the wild goat, going 

 over the narrowest and most dangerous passes with perfect safety. 



Among the carnivorous quadrupeds of the northern regions, many, like the 

 lynx, the wolf, the bear, the glutton, and other members of the weasel tribe, 

 have their head-quarters in the forests, and only occasionally roam over the tun- 



