CHAPTER XXXI. 



THE SHEEP AND THE MUSK-OX. 



THE AOUDAD — THE MOUFFLON — THE ARGALI — THE KATSHKAR — THE BIG HORN — ITS HABITS — 

 FAT-TAILED SHEEP — THE CRETAN SHEEP — THE SOUTHDOWN — THE LEICESTER — THE MERINO — 

 THE HIGHLAND SHEEP — THE GENUS OVIBOS — THE MUSK-OX OF NORTH AMERICA. 



THE Sheep are distinguished from the Goats by the possession — 

 as a rule — of the tear-bag, by the flat forehead, and the angular 

 twisted horns, and by the absence of a beard. All wild sheep 

 inhabit mountains of the Northern Hemisphere. Their proper home is 

 Asia, but they extend as far as Africa and the Northern part of America. 

 Every mountain-group in Asia has varieties peculiar to itself, while in 

 Europe, Africa, and America, each have only one species. Many species 

 and varieties are very close to each other, and are distinguished merely 

 by the conformation of the horns. Sheep are like goats, children of the 

 mountain, and live at heights where no other animal except the goat is 

 found. The tame sheep is only a shadow of the wild one, and, unlike the 

 goat, retains hardly a trace of its original qualities. 



THE AOUDAD. 



The AOUDAD, Capra tragelaphus, is a native of Northern Africa, 

 where it is found only in the highest and almost inaccessible ridges of 

 the Atlas range. It is a powerful and active animal, standing rather 

 more than three feet at the shoulder. The horns are about two feet 

 in length, and curve boldly backward. Its fleece consists of strong, 

 hard, rough hair, and fine curling wool. The former forms on the back 

 of the neck into a short mane, and is developed on the throat, breast, and 

 fore-legs into a thick, long, bushy mass. The flesh of this wild sheep is 

 highly prized by the Arabs, and resembles very much that of the deer. 

 It lives a solitary life, and is never seen in herds. 



