1908.] MAMMALS. 157 



The original of Richardson's figure and description of the female of 

 Ovis montana, which was killed on Liard River, seems likewise refer- 

 able to 0. stone!. 



Ovis dalli Nelson. Northern Mountain Sheep. 



While in the Mackenzie region 1 failed (<> observe these sheep, 

 since this would have necessitated a special trip into their haunts. 

 They occur in the mountains west of the Mackenzie from the vicinity 

 of Fort Liard to near the Arctic coast. According to information 

 obtained at Fort Liard, the animals are still fairly numerous in the 

 Nahanni Mountains. Formerly they occurred on the mountains close 

 to the mouth of the South Nahanni, below Fort Liard, but now are 

 to be found only farther back in the mountains. In winter they are 

 said to frequent the higher parts of the mountains, which arc kept 

 clear of snow by the wind, enabling them to find food. Limited 

 numbers of their skins are brought in to the trading posts along the 

 Mackenzie, and are in demand for making winter coats. While 

 ascending the Mackenzie in October, 1903, I obtained fresh meat of 

 this species from some Mountain Indians who had just descended 

 Gravel River on their way to Fort Norman. The animals are killed 

 also in the mountains opposite Forts Norman and Good Hope. 

 While at Fort McPherson I saw several heads and skins which had 

 been obtained on Black Mountain, the extremity of the range west of 

 the Mackenzie delta. 



The original of Richardson's description of the male of Ovis mon- 

 tana h was killed "on the mountains which skirt the south branch 

 of the Mackenzie " | Liard], and is apparently referable to this species, 

 and his statement that the Rocky Mountain sheep inhabits that range 

 to its northern termination shows that his account also refers partly 

 to 0. dalli. Later he describes the skeleton of one " killed on the 

 Rocky Mountains west of the Mackenzie, between the 66th and 67th 

 parallels of latitude," also undoubtedly referable to this form." 

 McConnell mentions that one was killed in the mountains west of Peel 

 River while his party was crossing in the summer of 1888/' 



Allen has recorded this species from the Nahanni Mountains, and 

 w r rites as follows : 



Two specimens of this species have been received, taken by Mr. Stone in the 

 Nabanna Mountains, a spur of the Rockies on the eastern slope, aboul ''.1° N. 



"Fauna Boreali-Americana, I, p. 274, lsi".i. 



'' Ibid., p. 274. and plate facing p. 271. 1829. 



c Zool. of Herald, Fossil Mammals, p. 87, L854. 



a Ottawa Naturalist, VI, p. 131, is!>l\ The tirst published reference to Ovis 

 fanilini as a distinct species seems to have been made by McConnell in this 

 article, in which he states: "Another variation in color was reported to me by 

 some miners on the Yukon, who described some sheep shot by them on the 

 upper part of this river as having a brown patch on both sides behind the fore 

 shoulders, and referred to them as the ' saddle-backed sheep.' " 



