1908.] 



3IAMMALS. 



157 



The original of Richardson's figure and description of the female of 

 Oris montana, which was killed on Liard Eiver," seems likeAvise refer- 

 able to 0. stonei. 



Ovis dalli Xelson. Xorthern Mountain Sheep. 



"\Miile in the Mackenzie region I failed to observe these sheep, 

 since this would have necessitated a special trip into their haunts. 

 They occur in the moiuitains west of the Mackenzie from the vicinity 

 of Fort Liard to near the Arctic coast. According to information 

 obtained at Fort Liard, the animals are still fairly numerous in the 

 Xahanni Mountains. Formerly they occurred on the mountains close 

 to the motith of the Sotith Xahanni, below Fort Liard, btit now are 

 to be found only farther back in the mountains. In. winter they are 

 said to frequent the higher parts of the mountains, which are kept 

 clear of snow by the wind, enabling them to find food. Limited 

 numbers of their skins are brought in to the trading posts along the 

 Mackenzie, and are in demand for making winter coats. ^Aliile 

 ascending the Mackenzie in October. 1903. I obtained fresh meat of 

 this species from some Mountain Indians Avho had just descended 

 Gravel River on their way to Fort Xorman. The animals are killed 

 also in the mountains opposite Forts Xorman and Good Hope. 

 While at Fort McPherson I saw several heads and skins which had 

 been obtained on Black ^lountain. the extremity of the range west of 

 the Mackenzie delta. 



The original of Richardson's description of the male of Oris mon- 

 tdiKi was killed " on the moimtains which skirt the sotith l)ranch 

 of the Mackenzie " [Liard]. and is apparently referable to this -pecies, 

 and his statement that the Rocky Motmtain sheep inhabits that range 

 to its northern termination shows that his accotnit also refei> partly 

 to 0. daUL Later he describes the skeleton of one *' killed on the 

 Rocky Mountains west of the ^lackenzie, between the 66th and filth 

 parallels of latitude," also undoubtedly referable to this form.^ 

 ^IcConnell mentions that one was killed in the motmtains west of Peel 

 River while his party was crossing in the summer of 1888.^^ 



Allen has recorded this species from the Xahanni Mountains, and 

 writes as follows: 



Two specimens of this spec'es have been received, taken by Mr. Stone in the 

 Xahanna Moiiutains, a spur of the Rockies on the eastern slope, about 61° X. 



^ Fauna Boreali-Americana, I, p. 274, 1829. 



^ Ibid., p. 274, and plate facing p. 271. 182f). 

 Zool. of Herald. Fossil Mammals, p. S7. 1S54. 



''Ottawa Naturalist. VI. p. 131, 1S92. The first published reference to Ovis 

 fannini as a distinct species seems to have been made by McConnell in this 

 article, in which he states: "Another variation in color was reported to me by 

 some miners on the Yukon, who described some sheep shot by them on the 

 upper part of this river as having a brown patch on both sides behind the fore 

 shoulders, and referred to them as the " saddle-backed sheep.' " 



