12 MOUNTAIN SHEEP

be ascribed to no more plausible cause than migration. It is just possible that some severe epidemic attacked the sheep; but as both these occurrences happened very far apart, with an interval of several years between them, and no other ranges were affected in a similar way nor was there persistent hunting, it is hard to think that disease was their cause.

As a general thing rams of mature age live on particular mountains of their own, which are generally of higher altitude and of a more rugged character than those that the ewes frequent, but neither ewes nor rams ever volun- tarily dwell on cliffs or on any such rough ground as they are often depicted doing. They may be driven to bluffs for refuge, but such places are not their natural habitat. Very old rams are often content to live alone or with one companion, but you are more apt to find them in bands varying in number from five or six up to twenty or even more. The young rams usually herd with the ewes until they are several years old, when they are permitted the dignity of joining the “ grown-ups”; but it is not until they have hung around the outskirts of a band for some time, and have proved themselves worthy of recognition, that they are allowed to mingle with it.

When the “rutting” season commences—which is generally about the first week in November—the rams leave their own abode and join the ewes. Their first move is to drive the young rams off and then collect the ewes into bands. The rivalry in collecting the ewes often leads to a series of battles. An occasional one may be fiercely fought, but seldom, if ever, with fatal results. The number of ewes a ram will round up depends on his energy and pugnacity and the number of ewes in that immediate vicinity, but the most I have ever known one ram keep for himself was twenty-four. When the owner- ship of the ewes is decided each ram drives his flock off to his own particular “‘ rutting ” ground.

Sometimes the distance rams travel to reach ewe ranges is considerable, possibly many miles, though as a rule they are not far distant from one another and often