MAMMALIA—SHEEP. 375 
m summer, like the deer, becomes somewhat wavy, a little curled, ana 
rough, consisting of a kind of wool intermixed with hair, and its roots con- 
cealed by a fine woolly down. About the neck and shoulders, as well as 
under the throat, the hair is considerably longer than elsewhere. The 
female is much less than the male, and her horns neither so much curved 
nor so large as those of the ram: 
From spring to autumn the argalis feed in the little valleys among the 
upper regions of the mountains, on the young shoots of the Alpine plants, 
and are said to grow very fat. As winter approaches, they descend lower, 
and eat grass and other vegetables. They are fond of frequenting spots 
of a saline nature, and will excavate the ground in such places in order to 
get at the salt. 
In Siberia, the argali is chiefly found on the summits of the highest 
mountains, exposed to the sun, and free from woods. They generally travel 
in small flocks; and seldom produce more than one, or sometimes two, at 
a birth. The young lamb, when first born, is covered with a soft, gray, curl- 
ing fleece, which graduaily changes into hair towards the end of summer. 
These animals are very timid; and when closely pursued, they turn and 
double like a hare, and do not run ina progressive course. They ascend 
rocky mountains with great agility, passing over the narrowest and most 
dangerous places with perfect safety, like the wild goat. 
The males are said to fight frequently, and often precipitate each other 
down the rocks in their contests. The chase of these creatures is extremely 
dangerous and difficult, but isa most important object with some of the 
Asiatics, as this sheep supplies them with a great number of valuable and 
necessary articles; the skin being used for clothing, and the flesh as food. 
Pallas informs us, that “the flesh of the lamb is excellent; that of the old 
animals is good; but more particularly when roasted.” 
The horns of ‘the argali grow to a vast size, and some have been found 
to measure in their convolutions above two ells in length, and to weigh 
fifteen pounds each. Sometimes they are found broken off in such a man- 
ner that the small animals of the forest creep into the cavity for shelter 

THE CORSICAN ARGALI,} 
Or Mouflon of Buffon, is of a much darker color than the Asiatic. It is so 
extremely wild, as to be seldom taken alive. However, it is shot by the 
hunters, who lie in ambush for it among the recesses in the mountains. 
Like many other animals, the young ones, which are often taken when the 
parent has been destroyed, are very easily tamed The various kinds of 
domestic sheep are all supposed to have sprung originally from the argali. 

1 Ovis musimon, PALL. 
