New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-05-28
American Wild sheep aud Goats.

| II may be interesting to youthful readers Oh
Tue rsB NE to be told that America has two iiibos ri
animals indigenous TO the mountains Of the Paciht
slope unlike any 0f the class in Europe, Asa %
Africa One OF these is known as the " Big Horn ~
California Sheep" Ocis Montana, and the other as no
Mountain Goat" Cdpra Americana. Both Of these
animals appear 10 have been ms common rs deer ~
Lower California when the Old Missions were established
Ia FAC The goats abundant al The mouth of the Col
orado according Of the Jesuit missionaries Inoy
were noticed by OF those writers as early AZ s
| TO 1890 Now tie goats, not abundant anywhere NO
perhaps, most so in Idaho. They nhabit the most in
accessible mountains, and the term wild as n deer
does not begin 10 convey an idea Of their extreme iiin
dity They sometimes killed by hunters THEN ses1
being priced and the skins selling at very high prce
great deal Of anxiety has been felt by pe.soIs
10 Obtain pes of these goats alive for doesticaiion
but We have no knowledge that it has been accom-
pshed IL is asserted BY those who have examined the
skins oil those ae by hunters that the fleece woud be
valuable that OF the Cashmere goat. II is pos
slide 70 dome.cae these natives tile toughest features
and unculivaiibe parts of California, Arizona,
and kewMexico, and other mountainous territories,
cond be utilized fof pasture Of goats would produce
feeccs I'm valuable than those Of sheep. Although
ind the habitat OF this goat in Southern region ID
DOT certn that il could not be domesticated further
north. The only doubt is whether it would bear
fneneht and artificial feeding in Winter. In the States
whore the climate would admit Of the animals ranging
in the bills during Winter the Of keeping fockoi
eoals would be- only The wages Of shepherd.
The Ocis Mcrtana we do not think would pakc a
valuable domestic animnl, II it could be domesti-
Gated which is very doubtful It is more Wild than
the goat 1t would be extremely difficult to otti!n
pair Of The big horns they occupy the mcst ac-
ce.sib mountains In the lambing season, and II eva
should be discovered she would leave her young hidden
IN some noos and lead the hunter forward to pre- pce
fli Re would only be able to look over down which tie
" big horn" would plunge. hundred feet at leap
This animal very plenty in the mountains Il
Lower California, but IL very rarely Its
dread Of man is so great that IL will not exist In bis
presence 1T shy and agile that hunters find great
difficulty in approaching near enough for shot.
lu grown big horn sheep weighs 900 to go lhs.
In place Of wool has coat Of gray or brown hair.
compact stiff and brstlng at the roots Of which grows
thick fleece OF fine soft fur of light reddish color
When Fat the flesh of this animal ia much esteemed.
and hunters bo;h white and red often spend whole
day In sort Of bopcep play with one OF the cunning
" big horns" which seems to knew the range Vi his
rife IN well rs he does himself and though often seen,
j. Just te Too lar on. Many man Has Hieu w "ho
standing upon the edge Of dizzy precipce and
seeing il come tumblng the botom has counted lis
success as certain bu. going to look has found 10
trace except where the animal aiged safely upon his
big horns IL il the immense size Of the horns that
gives tie local name. These animals were formerly
seen in large hccks 1t is naturally more siegaricas
thnn the goat is supposed that the sheep have been
affected by some epidemic since the country has been
occupied by white and their aocks the horns "
the sheep have been found in spots In Lower California
| almost covering a surface of acres in extent.
The mountain sheep Is so far north as tie
mountain goat though it Is sometimes found In tho
southern part OF Oregon The goat has been reported 10
far north The Russian possessions the Pacific coast
Occasionally a big horn is killed in the Kaw River
Mountains. The improved long-range rifles OF tho
present day appear DO too much for the sagaciy of
this ~ we'll rs other wild animals Of America.
Like the buffalo, the range Of wild sheep and goats 10
contracting that the will probably ds
appear The sheep more abundant ut the present
time in Arizona than anywhere else. but gold hunters
WI soon drive them away. and it is not long before
their history win be read as Of things that once were"