112 NEW- YORK FAUNA. 



ciated. A mania for sheep then commenced, scarcely inferior to the tulii) mania of Holland, 

 or the morns ??iu!ticanlis speculations of our own country at a recent period. As much as a 

 thousand dollars, and in some instances nearly twice that amount, was paid for a single ram. 

 Of the Spanish merino races, there are three distinct varieties, known under the names of the 

 Paular, Negretti and Guadaloupe breeds. 



The quality of the fleece was still farther improved in 1 824, by the introduction of what are 

 termed Saxony sheep. These are originally of the Spanish merino race, introduced into 

 Saxony about one hundred years ago, and upon which great pains and care had been bestowed. 

 To improve the quality of the flesh, our sheep have been still farther crossed with the Bake- 

 well or New-Leicester breed, and also with the South-downs, both from England. The 

 former was first introduced into this State in 1815, by Mr. Dunn of Albany, and the latter 

 only a few years since. 



The period of gestation in the Sheep is about five months, producing one or two at a birth, 

 rarely more. The two middle incisors drop out at the end of the first year, and are replaced 

 by others ; at two years, the two next ; at tlu-ee, four are renewed ; and at the end of the 

 third year, or three and a half, all have been replaced, and the individual is then said to be 

 full mouthed. 



{EXTRA-LIMITAL) 



O. montana. Argali, Big-horn, Rocky Mountain Sheep. (Richardson, pi. 23. Godman, plate.) 

 Horns in the male very large, contiguous, curved in a gentle spire; in the female, smaller, erect, 

 slightly curved backwards and outwards. Rocky Mountains. 



Genus Capra, Linneus. Teeth as in the genus Ovis ; forehead concave; homs generally common to 

 both sexes, either vertical or inclined more or less, angular; two sorts of hair; chin bearded. 



C. hircus. Common Goat. Introduced. 



C. americana, Blainville. (Ord. Ac. Sc. Smith, Lin. Trans, plate. Godman, Vol. 2, plate.) Rocky 

 Mountain Goat. Horns black, nearly erect, conical, slightly curved backwards, obscurely ringed 

 at the base, smooth and polished at the tips ; muzzle extremely small. Color white, with long 

 straight hair. Larger than the conamon goat. Ranges from forty to sixty-five parallels. 



Genus Antilope, Smith. Horns compressed, placed beneath the frontal crest, round or compressed ; 



chin beardless. Body slender, standing high on the legs, with a general resemblance to that of 



a deer. 



A. americana. Prong-horned Antilope. (Godman, Vol. 2, plate. Richardson, pi. 21.) Horns 



compressed, black, tapering, curved inwards towards each other ; a small snag or antler at about 



one-third of its height, projecting forwards. Plains of Missouri. 



(FOSSIL.) 



O. mammilaris. (Kirtland, Am. Jour. Vol. 31, p. 82, plate.) 



