lo The Mammals of Colorado 
these measurements vary greatly with individuals, and the largest 
and most massive horns come from the northern portion of the 
animal's range; those from the southern limit in northern Mexico, 
while of good size at the base, are slender compared with northern 
specimens. 
Description. — Grayish brown above, with dark line along centre 
of back ; face ashy gray, neck grayish brown tinged with plumbeous ; 
under parts, buttocks, inside of legs, on each side of base of tail and 
upper part of throat whitish ; legs dark grayish brown ; tail above like 
the back. 
Distribution. — The Mountain Sheep is found along the higher 
mountain ranges from British Columbia and Alberta in about 
North Lat. 55° southwards to Sonoyta and Pinacate, Sonora, 
Mexico, about 30 miles south of our boundary, on the northeast shore 
of the Gulf of California, for Hornaday considers the sheep of that 
region to be this species, having come down the Colorado River 
from Colorado and Utah and through Arizona. In Alaska and the 
Mackenzie and Yukon territories of Canada it is replaced by Stone's, 
Ball's, and Fannin's Sheep, and in California and Lower California 
by Nelson's Sheep and an allied form, and in the mountains of 
Chihuahua, Mexico, and of western Texas and eastern New Mexico 
by the Mexican Sheep. 
In Colorado the Mountain Sheep is still to be found in most of our 
mountain counties, though its numbers are not what they were 
once, but with a close season all the year as has been the case for 
several years, they are gradually increasing in number, in spite of a 
certain amount of poaching which goes on. 
Habits. — As its name would lead one to infer, the Mountain 
Sheep is an inhabitant of the mountains, living in the higher 
altitudes, near and above timber-line in the summer, and 
moving somewhat lower in winter. The roughest sort of 
ground seems to be their choice, and they travel without 
hesitation over places which make a man think twice before 
following. They are somewhat gregarious, occurring in 
flocks of varying size. In the spring and summer these are 
composed of the ewes with their lambs, which are born in the 
early summer, with yearlings and young rams, while the 
older rams keep by themselves alone or in smaller bands. 
In the fall, when the rut begins, the rams seek their mates, 
and fights often occur between rivals for the possession of 
