AMERICAN BIGHORN 



36; 



Head of Ameiican Bighorn, from \V. !■'. ShearcVs specimen. 



AMERICAN BIGHORN (Ovis canadensis). 



The bighorn of the American continent, inckisive of its local races 

 (frequently regarded as distinct species), is a large sheep, distinguished 

 from the Asiatic argalis, among other features, by the comparative 

 smoothness of the horns, in which the outer front angle is prominent, 

 and the inner one rounded off, and also by the smaller size of the face- 

 glands. There is a well-marked whitish patch on the rump, but the 

 amount of white on the under parts and legs shows considerable local 

 variation. In the typical Rocky Mountain race (0. canadensis typicd) 

 the ears are long and pointed, with short hair, and the horns, which are 

 very heavy, diverge but little outwards, and generally have the tips 

 broken. The Californian O. canadensis nelsoni is a paler southern race. 

 On the other hand, in 0. canadensis stonei of the North-West Territories 

 the colour of the back is very dark, and the white on the belly and 

 legs sharply defined. And both in this race and the light-coloured 

 0. canadensis dalli of Alaska the horns are lighter, more divergent, and 

 sharper pointed, while the ears tend to become shorter, blunter, and 

 more hairy. Height at shoulder about 3 feet 2 inches. Weight about 

 350 lbs. 



The horns of the ewes are very small in comparison to those of the 

 rams, seldom measuring more than i 5 inches on the curve from base 

 to tip. Large male horns are now difficult to obtain, and of late years 

 it is seldom that those of fresh-killed specimens are seen exceeding 38 

 inches on the curve from tip to tip. American sportsmen are keen to 

 obtain horns of large basal girth ; but these, as will be seen from the 



