THE MOUFLON 47 



ascertained which breed — or breeds — originated 

 from the mouflon, it would be obvious that, if such 

 breed could be regarded as the type of the Ovis 

 aries of Linnaeus, the proper designation of the 

 mouflon would be O. aries musimon. 



The name mouflon, or muflon, appears to have 

 been invented, like several others in natural history, 

 by the French naturalist Buffon. The animal (pi. 

 ii. fig. I ) is about the size of an average tame sheep, 

 but much more neatly built, so that it has a more 

 antelope-like appearance, the resemblance being 

 enhanced by the replacement of the woolly fleece 

 by a coat of close-lying hair. In common with all 

 the more typical wild sheep, the mouflon has a 

 short, deer-like tail, with twelve vertebrae in the 

 interior. The moderately long head has a nearly 

 flat forehead, but a slight convexity in the region 

 of the muzzle. A small but deep tear-gland is 

 situated near the outer angle of each eye ; and the 

 ears, which are about half the length of the head, 

 are relatively short, small, and lancet-shaped, with a 

 slight outward inclination, and very mobile. 



In the rams the horns are of the Ammon type, 

 and attain, in proportion to the size of the animal, 

 considerable dimensions. Like those of other 

 sheep, the right horn forms a right spiral ; and 

 normally each horn makes a sickle-shaped curve 

 along the side of the face, with the tip directed 

 upwards, forwards, and outwards. Each of the 



