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GENUS OVIS.— Linn., Bmss., Erxleben, Cuv., Bodd., Geoff. 
DENTAL FORMULA. 
0 ^ . 0—0 7 6—6 
Incisive ^ ; Canine ; Molar = 32. 
Horns common to botli sexes, sometimes wanting in the females, they 
are voluminous, more or less angular, transversely wrinkled, turned 
laterally in spiral directions, and enveloping an osseous arch, cellu- 
lar in structure. 
They have no lachrymal sinus, no true heard to the chin, the fe- 
males have two mammae ; tail, rather short ; ears, small, erect ; legs, 
rather slender; hair, of two kinds, one hard and close, the other wool- 
ly; gregareous. Habit analogous to the goats. Inhabit the highest 
mountains of the four quarters of the globe. 
The generic name is derived from the latin Ovis — a sheep. 
There are four well determined species, one the Mouflon of Buffon, 
iHusmon {Ovis Musmon) is received as the parent of the domesticated 
races. It is found in Corsica, Sardinia, and the highest mountain chains 
of Europe. One inhabiting the mountains and steppes of northern Asia, 
Tartary, Siberia and the Kurile Islands, one the mountains of Egypt, 
and one America. 
OVIS MONTANA. — Desk. 
Rocky Mountain Sheep. 
PLATE LXXIII. Male and Female. 
0. cornibus crassissimis spiralibus ; corpora gracile ; artubus elevatis ; 
pilo brevi rigido rudi badio ; clunibus albis o ariete major ; rufo cincreus. 
CHAKACTERS. 
Longer than the domestic sheep, horns of the male long, strong and tri- 
angular, those of the female compressed; colour deep rufous grey, a large, 
white dish on the rump. 
