92 The Ottawa Naturalist. [Nov. 



earliest nomadic times. Size would, therefore, be a desidera- 

 tum. Warmth and comfort would be desired. Length and 

 fineness of fleece would, therefore, be sought for. Purity of 

 colour would be appreciated. White, and its pure and uniform 

 tints, would be desired. Principles of economy would dictate 

 considerations as to weight, strength, and healthiness of skin 

 and so forth. 



The First Experiment. 



Early in the history of the world it can be well imagined 

 that wealth was measured by sheep. And the dignity of shep- 

 herding and the peace of pastoral pursuits bulk largely in ancient 

 literature. The flocks of Abraham and Lot, as the measure of 

 their prosperity, are said to have been more than the land could 

 support. They were the chief resources as well as the spoils 

 of the whole history and the wars of the Israelites. Solomon 

 dedicated 120,000 sheep to the purposes of religion and the 

 temple. Pliny remarks that sheep were used as sacrifices to the 

 gods, as well as for food and clothing. The enormous super- 

 fluity of the flocks of ancient times must have been the product 

 of careful selection; and it will be remembered that the first 

 successful experiment for the production of a new colour was 

 made by Jacob, as recorded in the Scriptures. He peeled rods 

 of poplar, hazel and chestnut, so as to give them a "ring- 

 streaked" or dark and white appearance. These he placed in 

 the water troughs of the flocks. In this he supposed .according 

 to the world-old tradition that the speckled appearance would 

 be reproduced in the young lambs through the impressionable 

 character of the ewes carrying young. White troughs have 

 since been used, and even white cloths have been hung up in 

 the fields for the same purpose. 



Wild and Domestic Animals. 



The original stock of domestic sheep is represented by, and 

 more or less obscurely traceable to, less than a dozen wild species. 

 These vary in outward appearance and character, considerably 

 from the goat-like, furry rather than fleecy, blue sheep of Tibet, 

 to the Moufflon or Armenian wild sheep of Europe. The latter 

 is said to be the original progenitor of our domestic varieties. 

 They formerly existed in the islands of Sardinia and Corsica in 

 large numbers, and were the object of large organized hunts, as 

 many as 500 being shot in a single drive. To-day they are not 

 so numerous, and the captured are much less. Their affinity 

 with domestic sheep is seen in the fact that now and then the 

 wild Moufflon will forsake the wilds and mix with the homestead 

 sheep, while it is also known that orphan lambs of the home- 



