NORTH AMERICAN RUMINANTS 



together with their well-worn trails, to testify to the former exist- 

 ence of the immense herds seen in [873. And now, when only a 

 few hundred remain of all the former millions thai roamed the 

 central portion ^i the continent, from ( iivat Slave Lake to Texas, 

 Congress is reported to be considering a bill for the protection of 

 the American Bison ! 



The Mountain-Sheep or Bighorns number five species, only 



one ii\ which is at present well represented in the exhibition col- 

 lection. This is the Stone Mountain - Sheep from Bighorns, 

 northern British Columbia. Through the Stone Ex- or Moun- 

 pedition, however, there has just been secured a fine tain Sheep. 

 series ^\ the Dall Mountain-Sheep of Alaska, which will furnish 

 material for the illustration of this interesting Species by an clab- 

 gTOUp. These two species show the extremes of color in the 



rent kinds of our Bighorns, the Stone Sheep being nearly 

 Mack and the Dall Sheep, almost pure white. Of the Rocky 

 Mountain Bighorn, the longest known and largest of any of the 



• h American members of the genus Oil's, the Museum posse- 

 only a pair of poorly mounted specimens. Efforts have been 

 made and plans elaborated for the construction of a group of this 

 striking species, but the expense of the undertaking has thus far 



pelled the Museum authorities to postpone any attempt to 

 it. 



southern or Nfelson Bighorn, recently described from the 

 Grapevine mountains on the California-Nevada boundary, and 

 the Mexican Bighorn, lately made known from the State of Chi- 

 huahua, Mexico, are still desiderata. But the Museum has 1 



nough to secure specimens of the Fannin Mountain 

 red the pasl Dawson, Northwest T< 



t<>ry, and known as yet from very : -miens. 



Mountain Goats comprise two 

 which has red only recently in the Copper I\ 



md very few specii 

 any museum. The Mountaii " 1 ' n, ' l,n 



ats. 



:hern United Statrs and British Columbia is rcp- 



in our exhibition collecti en. A 



ipofthi 3 has long been planned, and a fev. tens 



