24 THE SHEEP. 



and secluded valleys, they are fat, and in request ; but as 

 winter advances, and they are forced to descend from the 

 mountains in search of food, they lose their plumpness, and 

 are sought after only for their skins. When taken young 

 they are easily tamed, but the old ones never resign their 

 natural wildness. 



The ROCKY-MOUNTAIN SHEEP, or Argali of America, is 

 allied to this species, or identical with it. It inhabits the 

 loftiest mountain chains of North America. It was long 

 ago described by Spanish writers as the Sheep of California, 

 and is familiar to the Indians and fur-traders of Canada. 

 It equals or surpasses the Asiatic' Argali in size, and is taller 

 than the largest of our Domestic Sheep. Its horns are very 

 large, approaching, but not touching, one another at the base. 

 The horns of the female are small, and slightly curved. The 

 fur is of a reddish-brown colour, but becomes paler in winter, 

 and in spring the old rams are nearly white. The face and 

 nose are white, and the tail and buttocks present the buff- 

 coloured disc which distinguishes the male of the Asiatic 

 species. They collect in flocks, under the guidance of a 

 leader. They pasture on the steepest parts of the moun- 

 tains, and on the approach of winter descend into the plains. 

 They are wild and timid, betaking themselves on the least 

 alarm to the summits of the mountains. They are pursued 

 and killed by the Indians for their flesh and skins, and have 

 never been subjected to domestication. 



The BEARDED ARGALI inhabits the inland steeps of Barbary 

 and the mountains of Egypt. It is larger than a fallow deer, 

 and nearly equal in size to a stag. The horns are thirteen 

 inches in circumference at the base, approaching near to one 

 another on the top of the head, angular, black, bending back- 

 wards and downwards, and about two feet in length. The 

 hair on the lower part of the cheeks and under-jaw is long, 

 forming a divided beard. The under part of the neck and 

 shoulders is covered by coarse hair ; on the upper part of the 

 neck, and especially at the withers, the hair is long and 



