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The Wild Sheep.

w some parts of the world there is a
kind of sheep, differing, in many
respects, from our domestic sheep,
called the musmon, or argali. It is

found in Kamschatka, in the mountains
of Greece, the islands of Cyprus, Sardinia,
and Corsica, and the deserts of Tartary.
This animal is supposed to be the primi-
tive stock of all sheep. It is covered with
hair, instead of wool. The general color
of the hair over the body is brown, ap-
proaching the hue of the red deer. The
horns of these animals, as you will see by
the picture, are very large. “With these
weapons the sheep often maintain furious
battles with each other.

There are few animals more difficult to
overtake than the argali. When pursued,
he turns and doubles like a hare, scram-
bling over the rocks with wonderful swift-

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tamed, when taken young. The form;
upon the whole, seems far better adapted
for agility and strength than that of the
common sheep; and the argali is found
competent to maintain himself, either by
force or swiftness, against those animals
that live by rapine. Such, indeed, is its
extreme speed, that many have been in-
clined to rank it rather among deer than
sheep. In this, however, they are deceiv-
ed, as the musmon has a mark entirely
distinguishing it from that species, being
known never to shed its horns.

I wonder what would be. the result, if
the common domestic sheep was allowed
to run wild for several years. It seems
quite probable to my mind, that in course
of time, the race would go back a great
many degrees toward the original stock,
or native wild sheep. It would be an in-

ness and dexterity. The lamb is easily | teresting experiment to try.