310 ON THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN SHEEP 



The wool forming the principal covering of the 

 skin, is a strong reason for not classing the animal 

 with the family of goats. It is no doubt true, that 

 the goat of the East, yields a fur in many respects 

 resembling wool ; and it may be difficult, in some 

 cases, to distinguish between hair and wool, espe- 

 cially from small specimens. But, in judging from 

 any considerable quantity, such as the covering of a 

 whole skin, there would be little difficulty in deter- 

 mining whether the substance should be called hair 

 or wool : and, so far as I know, there is no good 

 authority for any species of goat ever having been 

 found with a covering wholly or chiefly of wool. 



Jt may be unnecessary to enlarge farther upon 

 the classification of the animal, as the question can- 

 not be satisfactorily decided without the possession 

 of a living specimen. 



The skin seems to be that of a full grown animal. 

 A number of observations might be offered in illus- 

 tration of this opinion. But it may suffice to state, 

 that the horns and general aspect of the head, have 

 all the appearances of maturity. The teeth, in par- 

 ticular, are evidently fully grown, and such as are 

 observed in a sheep upwards of three years old. 

 Four of them, on one side, are more or less broken, 

 which may have occurred either from accident or 

 age. 



The wool, which forms the chief covering of the 

 skin, is fully an inch and a half long, and is of the 

 very finest quality. It is unlike the fleece of the 



