THE MOUFLON, &c, 223 



We are convinced, as M. Gmelin remarks, 

 that we can never acquire a knowledge of Na- 

 ture, 



neither fprightlinefs, nor inactivity, neither the wool nor hair 

 with which an animal is covered, neither crooked nor ftraight 

 horns, neither permanent horns, nor thofe which fall off an- 

 nually, are marks fufficiently characleriftic to diftinguifh 

 clalfes. Nature loves variety ; and I am perfuaded, that, if 

 we knew better how to manage our fenfes, they would often 

 lead us to more effential characters, with regard to the differ- 

 ences of animals, than we generally derive Irom reafon, 

 which feldom apprehends thofe marks but in a fuperficial 

 manner. In this animal, the external form of the head, 

 neck, and tail, correfponds with that of the flag. His vi- 

 vacity, alio, as formerly remarked, is fo great, that he 

 feems to be (till more wild than the flag. The individual I 

 faw, though reputed to be only three years old, ten men 

 durft not attack. The largeft of this fpecies are about the 

 lize of a fallow deer. The one I examined meafured, from 

 the ground to the top of the head, a Rufiian ell and a half 

 in height. His length, from the root of the horns, was 

 an ell and three quarters. The horns rile above and very 

 near the eyes, and juil before the ears. They firft bend 

 backward and then forward in a circular form. The tips 

 turn upward and owtward. The horns, from the root to the 

 middle, are furrowed, but afterward become fomewhat 

 fmoother. It is probably from the figure of the horns that 

 the Ruffians have called this animal the ivildj7?cep. If we can 

 trull the natives of thefe provinces, his whole ftrength lies in 

 his horns. They fay that the rams of this fpecies fight by 

 linking each other with their horns ; and, when any of them 

 are knocked off, the aperture of the bafe is {o large, that the 

 voung foxes frequently take ihelter in the cavity. It is not 

 difficult to eftimate the force neceffary to break off one of 

 thefe horns, fince they, as long as the animal lives, continue 

 to augment both in thicknefs and in length ; and the part of the 

 head alio from which they fpring becomes always harder. Ic 

 is laid, that a well grown horn, comprehending the curvatures, 

 pie^fures two ells in length: that it weighs between thirty 



and 



