344 SPORTING ADVENTURES 



and colour of body than a sheep, its ovine face, taste of flesh, 

 and habits being 1 the qualities that ally it to its domestic con- 

 gener. It is much taller, fuller, and more spirited in action 

 than the latter, and all its movements are characterized by 

 a lithe grace, a rapidity of movement, and a prompt agility 

 that the farm-yard variety never possessed. The height of a 

 full-grown male varies from thirty-four to forty-one inches; 

 length from forty-four to sixty inches ; length of caudal ver- 

 tebra) from one and a half to three inches ; and length of 

 face, from base of horns to tip of nose, from ten to twelve inches. 

 The heavy recurved horns which adorn both sexes also make 

 a marked difference between it and the domestic species; and 

 in place of long, tine, and soft wool, it is covered with coarse 

 tubular hair of a yellowish brown colour, which changes to a 

 dull line of white on the posterior side of the fore and hind 

 legs, and to a white patch on the flanks and abdomen. The 

 outer hair, which resembles somewhat that of the caribou and 

 antelope in character, is not very coarse to the touch, and the 

 inner is fine and soft. The coat changes according to the 

 seasons, being lighter in the winter and spring than in the 

 summer. Some old males are almost hoary in early spring, 

 owing to the rubbing away of the black tips of the hair; and 

 when in that condition they looked like grizzled veterans. 

 The horns of the latter are magnificent appendages, and well 

 worthy to adorn the finest dining-halls. They measure, along' 

 the curve, from thirty to thirty-eight inches, and in rare 

 instances even forty-two inches; their circumference at the 

 base varies from ten to fifteen inches; and the width between 

 the tip of one to that of its fellow ranges from sixteen 

 to twenty-seven inches. I have found the measurement of 

 several horns examined to vary much, but it was generally 

 in their length and distance apart, the difference in their cir- 

 cumference at the base, when full grown, seldom exceeding 1 



t CJ > C5 



three inches. The hollow part of the horn of a large ram will 

 hold two gallons of fluid ; but it is so inconvenient and 

 awkward that even the Indians rarely use it as a water vessel. 

 The males sometimes attain a weight of three hundred and 

 fifty pounds,, but the average lies between two ami three 



