AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 
195 
a proportionate magnitude, their voice resembles rather the 
lowing of a calf than the bleating of a Sheep. They are 
remarkably prolific, usually producing two, and not unfre- 
quently three at a birth. The varieties usually raised in the 
United States, are the various English kinds and the merino, 
with the various crossed breeds between. <4^, 
As we have already observed, the wild races approximate 
so very closely to each other, as to render it doubtful whe- 
ther they may not be identical, and the slight differences 
between them be merely owing to change of locality. They 
were all included, by Linnaeus, under the specific name of 
ammon, in which he has beerwfollowed by many recent 
naturalists. To bring the whole matter before our readers, we 
will, therefore, give a short sketch of each of the species, as 
admitted by Baron Cuvier, in his last edition of the Regne 
Animal , before speaking of- that inhabiting this country. 
The Siberian Argali, ( O. ammon,) which is found in a great 
part of northern Asia, is distinguished by horns situate on 
the summit of the head, which at first rise upright, then 
bend backwards, and finally twist outwards and upwards, 
these horns are triangular at their base, rounded at the 
angles, flat on the interior side, and deeply striated trans- 
versely. The head resembles that of the common ram, 
with, however, smaller ears ; it is nearly the size of a small 
stag; the fore legs are shorter than the hinder; the tail is 
very short and white tipped with yellowish. The hair of 
the body is very short in summer, and of a yellowish colour, 
mixed with gray. In winter it acquires a greater length, 
and becomes of a fenuginous gray, with white at the muz- 
zle, throat, and under the belly. At all times it has a lighter 
spot of colour around the root of the tail. The favourite 
resorts of this species are the mountainous districts of Sibe- 
ria, Kamschatka, &c. They are gregarious, thoughMthe 
flocks are small. They form the principal food of the inha- 
bitants of those dreary countries. They are shot with fire- 
arms, or with bows, sometimes with cross-bows, placed in 
their paths, and discharged by their treading on a string 
communicating with the trigger. They are so swift, that, 
when chased by dogs, they leave their pursuers far in the 
rear, though from these animals driving them to situations 
in which they are exposed to the aim of the hunter, it is a 
favourite mode of chasing them. 
The Corsican or Sardinian Argali, [O. murimon ,) is the 
species spoken of by Pliny, under the name of murmon. 
They are termed Mufri by the Corsicans, and inhabit the 
highest parts of the island. They can only be shot or cap- 
tured by stratagem. They feed on the roost acrid plants ; 
their flesh, though lean, is highly esteemed; the skin is 
thick, and is employed as a hunting shirt, to defend the body 
against the thorns and briars in passing through thickets. 
From the accounts of some early British writers, it would 
prevails on the anterior aspect of the legs. The tail is dark 
appear as if this species had once inhabited Scotland. Hec- 
tor Boetius speaks of a Sheep in St. Kilda, the descrip- 
tion of which agrees with this animal, added to which a 
figure of one was discovered in a piece of sculpture taken 
from the wall of Antoninus, near Glasgow. The Corsican 
Argali only differs from the Siberian, in not being as large, 
in the female rarely having horns, and those very small. 
The American species is very closely allied to the Sibe- 
rian, if not identical with it, the only difference being, that 
it is a larger animal, and that its horns form a more spiral 
curve. Unfortunately we are but little acquainted with the 
habits and peculiarities of this animal; the following account 
if it is principally derived from Dr. Richardson, whose 
excellent work on the quadrupeds of the northern parts of 
America, we have so frequently drawn upon for informa- 
tion. 
“ Size much greater than the largest sized varieties of 
the domestic Sheep. It is bigger than the Argali.” 
The horns of the male are very large, arise a short way 
above the eyes, and occupy almost the whole space between 
the ears, but do not touch each other at their bases. They 
curve first backwards, then downwards, forwards, and 
upwards, until they form a complete turn, during the whole 
course of which, they recede from the side of the head in 
a spiral manner. They diminish in size rapidly towards 
their points, which are turned upwards. At their bases, 
and for a considerable portion of their length, they are three 
sided, the anterior or upper side being, as it were, thick- 
ened, and projecting obtusely at its union with the two 
others. This side is marked by transverse furrows, which 
are less deep the further they are from the skull ; and 
towards the tips the horns are rounded, and but obscurely 
wrinkled. The furrows extend to the other two sides of 
the horn, but are there less distinct. The intervals of the 
furrows swell out, or are rounded. 
The horns of the female are much smaller, and nearly 
erect, having but a slight curvature, and an inclination back- 
wards and outwards. 
The ears are of a moderate size; the facial angle straight, 
and the general form of the animal rather elegant, being 
intermediate betwixt that of the sheep and the stag. Tail 
very short. The hair like that of the rein deer, being, on 
its first growth in the autumn, short, fine, and flexible; but 
as the winter approaches, becoming much coarser, dry, and 
brittle, though at the same time it feels soft to the touch. 
In the latter season the hair is so close at its roots, that it is 
necessarily erect. The legs are covered with shorter hairs. 
The head, buttocks, and posterior part of the belly white; 
the rest of the body and- the neck of a pale umber, or dusky 
wood brown, colour, A deeper and more shining brown 
