Vererbting, Variation, Mutation. 137 



The author describes the different types of Asiatic sheep and gives some 

 of the results which he obtained in introducing some of these types into his own 

 flock in Texas. 



Ovis steatopygia or the fat-tail sheep is so called because of the accumulation 

 of fat on the buttocks and on each side of the very short tail. The fat-tail breeds 

 are found in Asia, Africa and Russia, but probably originated in Arabia. They 

 have been crossed in many places with broad-tails, in which case an animal was 

 obtained with a much shorter tail than either. In the Caucasus and among the 

 Nomadic tribes of Asiatic Russia Ovis steatopygia is kept in a pure state. It is 

 typically a desert sheep, deriving its hardiness and rustling qualities as well as 

 the fat storing qualities and pigment from the Karakul. The author believes this 

 type to be a grade Karakul, a für producer when tight wool is absent and a very 

 hardy sheep with excellent mutton producing qualities when tight wool blood is 

 present. 



Ovis platyiira, or the broad-tail sheep, has a long fat tail including from 

 fifteen to twenty-four vertebrae. This is covered on the outside with the same 

 wool as the body and often comes clear to the ground. In some classes great 

 masses of fat Surround the tail from its setting to the tip, while in others the 

 lower portion of the tail is free from fat and therefore movable. The broad-tail 

 sheep is found chiefly in Africa and many parts of Asia and South Russia. They 

 are less liable to Scabies than Merinos and other tight wools and their wool is 

 coarse and long. 



Among the Russian broad-tails are the common Russian broad-tail, the 

 Karakul, the Pirnaja, and Voloshskaja. Most of these varieties are horned. The 

 ears are either drooping, partly so, or standing up straight. When their lambs 

 are killed shortly after birth, an excellent für is produced. 



Of great importance to the breeders of lamb skins are the so-called Sokol- 

 skaja, Resheteliovskaja and Bessarabskaja-Tshooshaka. These varieties are un- 

 questionably grade Karakul lacking the tight wool blood. 



The Persian broad-tails consist of many varieties. The most important are 

 the Arabi, Shirazi, Doozboy and Zigai. Shirazis crossed with Shropshires pro- 

 duce excellent mutton sheep possessing great hardiness and good weight. Their 

 mutton is free -to a large degree from the woolly flavor of the tight wools Per- 

 sian broad-tails do not produce the so-called Persian lamb pelts which are half 

 and three-quarter blood Karakul long-wool lamb skins tanned and dyed. 



The Karakul breeds have all descended from the Arabi. They are found in 

 central and western Asia especially Bokhara. The name Karakul is applied not 

 only to the Arabi, but to all grade Arabi, most important of which are the 

 Shirazi, Doozboy and Zigai. The Shirazi is an Arabi long wool and an excellent 

 für producer. The Doozboy is an Arabi tight wool which when crossed with 

 certain varieties of the fat-tail gives the Zigai. The tight curls of the small Arabi 

 would indicate that it originally came from a hot country, while, on the other 

 hand, the ease with which it can climb mountains and its endurance of cold 

 would indicate that it is a mountain sheep. Arabi -Merino can stand the coldest 

 of weather and blizzards in Michigan. In Texas, during severe snow storms, 

 Shropshires died in great numbers, while not a single Arabi succumbed. They 

 can stand equally well the intense summer heat in Mexico. The small Arabi is 

 very difficult to find and to purchase from the natives of Bokahara. It has a 

 narrow head, elongated face, slightly curving nose line, short ears, thin feet, tail 

 triangulär and not as large as that of the large Arabi; weight 130 pounds. The 

 wool is long, coarse and grey in the adult but jet-black and in very tight beau- 



