238 
ARDERS. 
what closely resemble those of the common nettle, 
but do not sting. The plant, when rubbed, has 
a disagreeable smell; and though it is carefully 
avoided by all cattle, it is said to be used by the 
people of Sweden asa spring pot-herb. It has 
been recommended as an admirable poultice, 
when bruised with vinegar, for wens and hard 
swellings. 
ARCTIUM. See Burnocx. 
ARDERS. A provincial name for frequent or 
fallow ploughings of land. 
ARECA. See Cappace-TReEE, 
ARENARIA. See Sanpwort. 
ARETIA. A genus of small, evergreen, her- 
baceous, ornamental plants, of the primrose 
_ family. Three species, helvetica and alpina from 
Switzerland, and vitaliana from the Pyrenees, are 
| cultivated in the gardens of Great Britain ; and 
| six other species are known to botanists. 
| introduced species are excellently adapted for 
The 
rockwork ; yet, though hardy, are sufiiciently 
delicate to require good air and nice cultivation. 
ARGALI. A group of wild animals of the Ovis 
or Sheep genus. They seem, jointly with the mus- 
mon of Greece, Crete, and Cyprus, to have heen 
the parent-stock of all the numerous and diver- 
sified races of domestic sheep. Five distinct spe- 
cles or varieties of argali have been observed by 
naturalists in the old world, and two in America. 
The Siberian argali, Ov’s ammon, inhabits the 
| mountains and elevated plains of Asia, from the 
Caucasus eastward to Kamtschatka, and north- 
ward to the ocean, and has been very fully de- 
scribed by Dr. Pallas. The Kamtschatkan argali, 
Ovis nivicola, abounds on the mountains of Kam- 
tschatka, residing on the snow-clad heights in 
summer, and descending to lower regions in win- 
ter, and has been particularly remarked by Kot- 
zebue for its agility. The Caucasian argali, Ovis 
cylindricornis, inhabits the Caucasian mountains, 
and though, till a few years ago, confounded by 
all naturalists with the Siberian argali, has been 
ascertained by Mr. Blyth to be a perfectly dis- 
tinct variety ; the Armenian argali, Ovis Gmelinii, 
occurs only on the highest mountains of Persia, 
and has been described by the naturalist Gmelin, 
after whom it is named; the Persian argali in- 
habits the central regions of Persia, but, though 
noticed by Sir John MacNeill, and believed to be 
very observably the parent stock of a portion of 
the vast tribe of domestic sheep, has not as yet 
been scientifically described ; the Rocky Mountain 
argali, Ovis montana, inhabits the rocky moun- 
tains in the interior of North America, in about 
the 50th degree of north latitude; and appears 
to have extended along this range into the re- 
gion of California on the west coast of North 
America. 
The Siberian argali has been more closely ob- 
served, and more amply described, than any of 
the other varieties; and, for these reasons, as 
well as on account of its more extensive diffu- 
sion, it may be noticed as the type of the whole 
ARGALI. 
group. The male is larger, and in all repects 
stouter, than the female. He resembles a small 
stag in height and general proportions, but is 
much more robust and nervous in body, shorter 
in the legs and neck, and less elegant in form. 
His head resembles that of a domestic ram, with 
long straggling hairs about the mouth, but no 
beard. His ears are rather smaller than those of 
the ram; and his tail is very short. His horns 
are of enormous size, and remarkable shape and | 
curvature, measure more than a foot in circum- 
ference at the base, and between three and four 
feet in length from the base to the tip, rising 
triangularly from the crown of the head, nearly 
touching each other at the base, extending up- 
ward, outward, downward, and again outward, 
so as first to describe nearly a semicircle, and 
then to terminate in pointed horizontal exten- 
sions, His summer coat consists of short hair, 
sleek, and similar to that of a deer ; and his win- | 
ter coat consists of wool-like down, mixed with 
hair, everywhere at least an inch and a half | 
in length, and concealing among its roots a fine, | 
woolly, white down. The colour of the fur is 
brown in summer, and brownish-gray in winter ; 
but a buff-coloured streak passes along the back. 
and a large spot of lighter-coloured buff occurs on 
the haunch, and surrounds and includes the tail. 
The horns of the female, however, are more 
slender and less curved than those of the male; 
and the haunch wants the buff spot, and is uni- 
form in colour with the rest of the body. The 
lamb resembles a young kid, but has a large flat | 
protuberance in place of horns, and is covered | 
with a woolly, frizzled, dark-gray hair. 
The argalis are strong and agile, but very 
timid; they shun the vicinity of man, and flee | 
on the smallest appearance of danger; and they 
run in a zigzag course, and, like domestic sheep, 
occasionally stop to gaze upon their pursuer. 
They are usually found in very small flocks; and 
are hunted by the Siberians and Tartars for their | 
flesh, which is esteemed to be savoury, and for | 
their skins, which are made into clothing. In 
autumn, after having pastured throughout the | 
summer, on the grassy mountains and in the | 
secluded valleys, they are fat and in high re- 
quest; but, as winter advances, when they are | 
compelled to leave their summer haunts in search 
of food, they lose their plumpness, and are valued 
chiefly for their skins. When caught young, they 
are easily tamed; but when not caught till an 
advanced period of their life, they never lose 
their wildness.. They delight in full and con- 
stant exposure to the sun and weather; and, in 
consequence, avoid the woods of the mountains, 
and frequent bare, bleak, and rocky heights. 
Their principal food consists of such grasses, 
herbs, and shrubs, as they find growing in the | 
interstices of rocky ground; and they purge 
themselves in spring with acrid plants, as an 
instinctive preparation for salubriously passing 
from the hard fare of winter to the mild and 
