188 State Board of Agkiculture, &c. 



between the ovis, or sheep, and tlie capra, or goat. The 

 distinctions between them are brieHy tliese : the horns of 

 tlie rheep have a spiral direction from the sides of the 

 head out, while those of the goat have an npward and 

 ]»ackward direction. The sheep, except in one wild variety, 

 has no beard ; the goat is bearded. In his highest state of 

 improvement the goat is made to produce wool of a fine- 

 ness unequalled by the sheep, as in the Cashmere breed. 

 He is mainly and always externally covered with ludr ; 

 while the hair on the sheep may, l)y domestication, V)e 

 reduced to a few kemps, or coarse hairs, or gotten rid of 

 altogethei-. 



Agriculturists have applied different names to sliee]>, 

 according to the age and sex. The age of the sheep is 

 generally readily determined by their teeth. AVhen they 

 are about one year and a half old they shed their two cen- 

 tre teeth of tlie incisors, and two wide ones grow out and 

 take their place. The next yeai- the next two are shed, and 

 when the sheep is three years old the four central teeth 

 are fully gi-own. At four years they liave six teeth, and 

 at five years the teeth are perfectly developed. This is 

 one year before the horse Or ox can be said to l)e full- 

 mouthed. This rule for the age of sheep will hardly ever 

 fail in ewes ; luit will sometimes in the case of rams. If 

 not too old their age may be determined by the growth of 

 their horns eacli year. The difference caused in the shed- 

 ding of their teeth may be by the numner in w]ii(;h the 

 sheep are cared for. If well fed and kept in a thriving 

 condition they will shed them faster, and vice-versa. Some 



