462 



THE CLOVEN-HOOFED ANIMALS. 



after the mother has been killed. They soon be-' 

 come used to their keeper, but in spite of the high 

 degree of docility which they usually exhibit, they 

 always retain the lively disposition and vivacious 

 manners characteristic of them in the free state; a 

 passive attachment to their accustomed companions 

 and an affection for their young — these are the sole 

 signs of mental activity which I observed in them. 

 The Argali Central Asia and North America 



the Largest of contain the largest wild Sheep char- 

 the Sheep. acterized by powerful horns and long 

 legs. The Argali of the Mongols ( Ovis argali) is a 

 huge Sheep equaling a nine-months-old calf in size. 

 The powerful, triangular, broad horns stand closely 

 together at their bases; they first turn backward and 

 outward, then downward and outward and the tip 

 again curves backward and upward. They are cov- 

 ered from their very roots with transverse ridges, 

 .entirely encircling the horn in a series of intricately 

 .intertwined convolutions. T<hickset, wavy hair and 

 fine, short wool cover the body, the pelt being very 

 uniform all over. " The prevailing color is a dull, 

 pale gray, merging into a darker brownish gray tint 

 on the face, the thighs, the upper part of the legs, 

 on the margins of the buttocks and the posterior 

 portion of the abdomen, and into grayish white 

 on the fore-part of the muzzle, on the upper portion 

 of the hams and on the lower half of the legs. 



The Range and The Argali ranges from the mount- 



Habitatofthe ains of the district of Akmolinsk to 

 Argali. the southeastern boundaries of the 



Mongolian tableland, and from the Altai to the 

 Alatau, and possibly still farther southward. 



The Argali shuns damp, wooded mountains and 

 localities of great altjtude. It prefers mountain 

 ranges from two thousand to three thousand three 

 hundred feet above sea-level, abounding in barren 

 crags, with scantily wooded slopes and wide valleys. 

 There it lives wirtter and summer on approximately 

 the same territory, at the most moving only from 

 one mountain range to another. 



Diet and Mental During the summer the Argali 

 Development of the feeds on the same kind of vegeta- 

 Argali. tion as is appreciated by the domes- 



tic Sheep; in winter it contents itself with moss, 

 lichens and dried grass, and such other scanty prov- 

 ender as its range affords at that season. 



The sensesrof the Argali seem to'be excellently 

 and uniformly developed. It sees, hears and smells 

 remarkably well, is fastidious in its food, whenever 

 there is a possibility of choice;- neither has its sense 

 of touch apparently been slighted. The demeanor 

 of the Argali is expressive of deliberation and self- 

 complacency, and these animals also give evidence 

 of a certain amount of reasoning powers and judg- 

 ment. Whenever constant pursuit has made them 

 wary, they display much caution, though they are 

 hot excessively shy; but where they are habitually, 

 unmolested they, are surprisingly trustful. Their, 

 foolish arid sometimes dangerous curiosity is worthy 

 of note. Stell'er recounts how the hunters of Kam- 

 chatka occupy the attention of the Big Horn Sheep, 

 or the closely allied variety living on the mountains 

 in that region. Jay, dressing up a dummy to attract the 

 Attention of the animals, and then cautiously steal 

 lip to within shooting distance of the Sheep by cir- 

 cuitous routes. ' Prejevalsky heard the same story. 

 aboiit the Argali ^nd tested .the truthfulness of the 

 Moiigolian statement by hanging his shirt on a ram- 

 rtod arid' thereby arresting the attention of a fleeing 

 flock of wild Sheep for a quarter of, an hour. 



Argali Sheep a Notwithstanding such devices the 

 Favorite Game pursuit of Argali Slieep requires an 

 Animal. experienced sportsman, and still 



more ,a good marksman. The mutton is highly 

 esteemed by the Kirghiz and is really excellent^ 

 though somewhat strong in flavor. In addition to 

 being pursued by Man the adult Argali ■ sometimes 

 falls a victim to the Tiger, the common Wolf and 

 the Alpine Wolf, though the efforts of these beasts, 

 to capture it are rarely successful. The beasts of 

 prey may oftener succeed in taking a lamb, but the 

 most dangerous foe of the young Sheep, probably, 

 is the Golden Eagle. 



If Man could succeed in taming these Sheep he 



would win in them domestic animals which would be 



of great economic value and importance. It would 



be hard to find another animal as suitable to be 



introduced into other countries as this one. Which 



defies alike the severe cold of the winter and the 



burning heats of the summer of the steppes. 



Kamchathan Wild A wild Sheep, inhabiting Kam.- 



Sheep Related to chatka {Ovis nivicola), is thought 



the Big Horn. to belong to the same species as 



the Big Horn or Rocky Mountain Sheep {Ovis 



montana) though it differs from the latter in the 



structure of its horns, which are similar in external 



appearance to those of the Big Horn but much 



weaker. 



Range and Habits The Big Horn inhabits, the Rocky 

 of Rochy Mount- Mountains and the country west of 

 ain Sheep. it, ranging from the sixty-eighth 

 parallel of north latitude south to about the fortieth- 

 parallel and existing only iri the wildeft and most 

 inaccessible stretches of mountain country. 



The information we possess ; about the Big Horn, 

 especially regarding its habits, is very scant. Adult 

 rams attain a length of six feet four inches, only 

 four and four-fifths inches being occupied by the 

 tail and the height at the shoulder is forty-two 

 inches. The ewe measures from fifty-six to sixty 

 inches in length and from thirty-six to thirty-eight 

 inches in height. The males attain a- weight of three 

 hundred and sixty pounds, the horns alone some- 

 times weighing as much as fifty pounds; the females 

 weigh from two hundred and sixty to two hundred 

 and eighty pounds. The physical organization is 

 sturdy and muscular and the head resembles that of 

 the Ibex. The length of the enormous horns, meas- 

 ured along the <jurvature, may be as much as twenty- ., 

 eight inches. The "hair bears no resemblance to 

 ..wool and is of firm texture, though soft td'fhe tbuch, 

 slightly wavy and at the most two inches long. Its 

 prevailing color is a. dingy, grayisli- brown, deepen- 

 ing into a darker tint along the course of the spine. 

 In their habits the Big Horns do-not differ from 

 their relatives, nor even materially from the. Ibex. 

 Like the latter, they are matchlessly adept at climb' 

 ing. As soon as they perceive anything strange or 

 suspicious they seek refuge among the most inac- 

 cessible heights and there take up .a position on 

 some projecting ledge which overlooks their do- 

 main. Wherever they have come in contact with 

 Man, they fear him as much as their arch enemy; the' 

 Wolf. Thp mutton is eaten by white people as well 

 as by Indians, but has a peculiar shepp-like odor, 

 especially perceptible in the meat of tlie ram. The 

 skin is durable and strong, but also soft and flexible 

 and is in great request among the Indians for the 

 manufacture of leather hunting shirts. 

 . It has always been esteemed a very difEcult feat 

 to capture young Big Horns, as they easily follow 



t.. 



