SHEEP. 
225 
smallei but closely-allied Cyprian sheep, which may indeed be nothing more 
than a geographical race of the other, diminished in size and modified by the 
small area of its habitat and 
its long isolation. This elegant 
species is, indeed, the smallest 
of all the wild sheep, the rams 
standing only just over 26 
inches at the shoulder, and 
their horns not exceeding 23 
inches in length. According 
to Col. J. Biddulph, it is dis¬ 
tinguished from the typical 
form of the Armenian sheep 
by the horns being more 
slender, with their outer front 
angle almost completely 
obliterated, and their tips 
directed upwards instead of 
downwards. The fringe 011 the 
throat is also less developed 
and there is a much more distinct dark line dividing the white of the belly from 
the rufous of the flanks. There is, however, a variety of the Armenian sheep in 
which the horns approximate in form to those of this species. 
HEAD OF CYPRIAN SHEEP. 
(From Biddulph, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1884.) 
The Mouflon ( Ovis musimori). 
The European mouflon, now confined to the islands of Sardinia and Corsica, 
is the last member of the typical group of wild sheep. In height the rams stand 
about 27| inches at the withers; the build of the animal being very compact and 
neat. The hair is short and close on the body, with an abundant under-wool, but 
in the rams is elongated into a short mane on the neck and a fringe on the lower 
part of the throat. With the exception of a dark brown line down the back, and 
a conspicuous light grey saddle-like patch on the sides of the rams, the general 
colour of the upper-parts is foxy red, passing into ashy grey on the head, while the 
muzzle, a streak on the rump, the sides of the tail, the feet, and portions of the 
lower parts of the legs, and the under-part of the body are white. The horns curve 
forwards by the side of the face, and vary in length from 20 to 28 and 29 inches. 
Although reported to have occurred formerly in parts of Greece 
and the Balearic Isles, it does not seem certain that the mouflon 
was ever an inhabitant of these countries; while Brehm is doubtful if its alleged 
former occurrence in Spain is a fact. At one time the mouflon was extremely 
numerous in Corsica and Sardinia, accounts being extant of the slaughter of four 
hundred or five hundred head during a single hunt. At the present day it is, 
however, far less numerous, so that instead of being met with in large flocks, it is 
now only seen in companies of from four to five up to seven individuals; while in 
the largest “ drives ” not more than forty or fifty head are ever killed at one time. 
vol. ir. — 15 
