BARAL SHEEP.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 555, 9 July 1909, Page 7

BARAL SHEEP.

TO BE LIBERATED IN NEW ZEALAND. ' ' (By Telegraph -Special Correspondent') ' ' Christoliuroh, July'B. Three Boral sheep (Ovis nntura) were sent through by tram' to-night by the Tourist Department, to Mount Cook, where they will , bo.liberated. .They aro orto of tho \arietios. of tho giant wild sheep whoße homo is Central and Northern Asia. Barnl k one of the nativo names by which the sheep is known, / though by, sportsmen they aro commonly known as bur'rel or bui'hol. It r seems to require an altitude of at least 10,000 ft., and 1 many of the' shooting grounds ate quite 17,()00ft. above the sea level,, but it will probably'not require such an altitude in Aow Zealand, ''Iho genoral colour is a'light filaty gray, and a full-grown ram has black mai;ks on tho cheat, side, and legs, 'lhey are, therefore, difficult'animals to see on a hillside am&ng tho rocks. 'J he three sheep imported coiioist of a,joung ram and two 1 owes, ono of tho latter being apparently a I jearling, and the othof ewo and .the ram cannot be full-grown. In build and si2e they aro not unlike common,goats) though longer 111 tho kg. They are Covered with Lair, o?i----dontly their summer coat, as they weio bred in England, but the owo has some patches of winter coat still upon her. and this- has moro ,the appearance of wool. An e.\perienced t Christchurch sr-ortsmnn thinks it is questionable whether it.is wise to tprn them >ut at present among the snow, though, no ioubt, they ate hardy animals. A question, ho adds, that .shoep-ow nerb will naturally isk is whether they will not cross «nn uur domestio sheep, but there uoe? not appcai to be the least likelihood of it. In 'booka there i , ) no mention of wild sheep ever mingi ling with the domestic flocks. An attempt 1 has bron made to cross the American big horn sheep ih captivitv with domestic &h<>ep. hut the progeny would not, live. The Bar-ii / has not such fine horns, as some of tho varieties, such as tho Ovis noli. The Jongesti'horns mentioned in tho "Badminton Library " are 32in. span, b"tv,een tips 25Jin., and largest girth 14in. The horns of tho f B&ral lack tho curls of tho larger varieties, and grow ill a singlo curve. Iho horns of the joung ram imported aro lOin. or 12in. in length and thoso of tho larger ewo 4ui. , or sm. The flesh is excellent eating, i