BIG-HORN, the wild sheep of the moun tains of western North America, so called on account of the massive, spiral horns of the ram, which resemble those of the Asiatic argali. They originally ranged throughout the whole mountain system from New Mexico to north ern Alaska, and as far down the valley of the Missouri River as the rough country extended. They are still to be found in the loftier and wilder parts of this territory, but remain nu merous only about the head-waters of the Yel lowstone and thence northward. Their home is upon the loftiest parts of the ranges, where they find plentiful pasturage between the high est growth of timber and the snow or ice of the summits, and upon the elevated and rocky plateaus of the Bad Lands of Dakota. In sum mer they wander about a good deal in small flocks, climbing to the highest points, where a wide outlook enables them to see quickly the approach of an enemy and where they are least troubled by flies. In winter they are forced to descend somewhat, but rarely enter the forest, finding shelter against the storm in the mountain gorges and sufficient dried grass upon the wind-swept ridges. Its principal enemy, in the old days, were the pumas and Indian hunters, whose constant pursuit taught it an alertness and wariness which now makes it one of the most difficult animals for the sportsman to approach. The speed, agility and endur ance of this mountaineer are equal to that shown by any wild sheep or goat of the Alps or the Himalayas, and equally tax the skill and patience of the hunter. Its horns therefore are highly valued as trophies, and its flesh is universally regarded as the best of all Western game.
The common Rocky Mountain big-horn (Ovis ceruina) is a strongly built sheep, stand ing up to 40 inches high. In color, in its sum
mer coat, it is tawny yellow, and in winter gray ish brown, with the face ashy and a dark line along the spine. The under parts and a con spicuous roundish patch on the buttocks are whitish. The horns of the ram are of large circumference at the base and thick and rugged, with a distinct keel at the outer edge, and sweep around backward into a spiral, which is com plete in the largest specimens and will measure 40 to 42 inches along the outer curve. A smaller and paler variety of Utah and Idaho is called Nelson's big-horn. In the mountains of British Columbia is found Stone's big-horn, which is larger in size and much darker in color (almost black, indeed), with compara tively slender horns. A third species, Dall's
to the mountains of central Alaska, is perfectly white, with horns of mod erate size and of a clear amber color. A fourth species, also Alaskan, may prove to be a variety of Dall's, which it resembles, except that a mantle of brownish-gray covers the body, as if a blanket were laid across its back. This last species has been named Fannin's
All these sheep breed once a year, at the beginning of warm weather, usually producing two kids at a birth. They are hardly separable from the argalis of northeastern Asia, and doubtless all are descendants from the same primitive stock. Consult Baillie-Grohman,