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Note on the Influence of a Tropical Climate on the Wool of the 

 Sheep. By JoHN Davy, M.D., F.R.S. Lond. & Edin., &c. 

 Communicated by the Author. 



The sheep of Barbados, originally from an English stock, 

 affords a striking example of the change that may be effected 

 by climate, in a few generations, in the character of the hair 

 of an animal. In that island instances are frequently to be 

 seen of sheep, in which hair has so taken the place of wool 

 (using the terms in their usual acceptation), that were it not 

 for the form of the animals, — and that is not altogether free 

 from change, — it would be impossible to suppose that they 

 belonged to the same species as our English sheep. 



Considering the subject of such a change not undeserving 

 of attention, I have examined two specimens of hair pro- 

 cured for the purpose, one from a sheep two years old, the 

 other from one about a year old, which were obligingly sent 

 me, at my request, by a friend, a resident. 



Both were nearly of the same colour, a light reddish- 

 brown, and were nearly of the same length, that is, the 

 individual hairs, — varying from about an inch to an inch- 

 and-a-half. The hair of the three-year old was coarser than 

 that of the one -year old ; it consisted chiefly of harsh fibres 

 slightly tortuous, each about 180th of an inch in diameter, — 

 some cylindrical, others more or less flattened, all tapering 

 towards a point at their distal extremity. The hair of the 

 one-year old consisted of coarse and fine fibres in about equal 

 portions; the one about 363d of an inch in diameter, the 

 other about 1333d of an inch; the former resembling the 

 hair of the older sheep, the latter having the appearance of 

 wool, and that both in its fineness and general aspect, whether 

 seen with the naked eye or under the microscope. The pre- 

 sence of a portion of wool mixed with the hair of the younger 

 sheep, accords, I may remark, with the belief of my friend 

 by whom the samples had been sent, viz., " that all the very 

 young lambs of the island have wool, which gradually passes 

 into hair as they grow older.'' Tliis, he writes, he thinks is 



