The MOUFLON.
Nature with a wiſe and provident care gave to every animal originally either force to repel, ſpeed to eſcape, or cunning to evade its more formidable enemies, as a means of preſerving the continuance of her various productions. Of uſeful animals the weak were firſt reduced to the ſervices of man, ſmaller animals more readily adopting the influence of education. Thus the Sheep and Goat were firſt brought to uſefulneſs, before the robuſt Ox, or vigorous Horſe; this may be conſidered as one principal cauſe of the endleſs variety of ſuch as have been long and particularly attended to by man; and the power of continued education, joined to the influence of climate and ſoil, make it difficult to ſay, which are the true characteriſtic marks, or which the original of many ſpecies.
The Mouflon is conſidered as the Sheep in a ſtate of nature, by Mr. Buffon, with a temper not broken by ſervitude, a conſtitution not ſoftened by inactivity and luxury. With a vigorous mind it defends itſelf againſt the attacks of larger animals, and, aided by a robuſt body, frequently overcomes formidable enemies.
The abode of the Mouflon is in rocky countries, where they bound from rock to rock, or climb the apparent inacceſſible precipices with that addreſs and eaſe, which characterize the Goat and Deer tribes, and which sets purſuit at defiance. The horns of the Mouflon are very broad at the baſe, are firmly fixed upon the ſkull, inclining backward with a conſiderable curvature, the diſtance increaſing to the extremities; the horns, of a light brown or yellow, are girt with many annuli or rings; in the male they frequently grow to very large dimenſions, and weigh ſometimes thirty pounds; and, when broken off, as in defence, or by other accident, often ſerve as a neſt, or retreat, for various ſmall quadrupeds, ſuch as young foxes, &c.
There is a beautiful form in this animal, which approaches very cloſe to the Deer; indeed by ſome it is eſteemed the ſame as the old or original Welch Deer; however, the ſhape of the head, and the truncated horns, which are never ſhed, rather mark it of the Sheep tribe. The major part of the body is of a fine brown coloured hair, which on the lower part of the neck and cheſt grows to a conſiderable length; the belly, legs, and outer part of the haunches are white.
Inhabits the warmer parts of Europe, ſuch as Greece, the Iſle of Cyprus, Sardinia, and Corſica; they alſo are found in great numbers in the ſouthern and mountainous parts of Siberia, a climate rather cold than temperate; grows to the ſize of a young ſtag. The meaſurement of the one here drawn was three feet from the noſe to the rump, and two feet and a half from the ſhoulder downward.
