326 UNGULATA. 



animals, as has been observed, are a great boon to the 

 poor, snow- covered Icelanders. The wool forms the 

 material of the long, hair-like articles before described ; 

 and also the under covering of fine downy wool." 



Iceland Lamb-skins are imported dry ; they are of the 

 same colour as the adult animal : white is the pre- 

 dominant colour. They are fine, silky, and beautifully 

 curled. The best are used for children's jackets, etc., 

 and the commoner ones for glove-linings. The yearly 

 collection of skins varies from 12,000 to 20,000, and the 

 price ranges from 3d. to Is. 6d. per skin. Many of 

 these Lambs are killed by Foxes and Eagles. 



CHINA SHEEP. 



Nearly all the China Sheep-skins imported are white. 

 The generality are rather coarser than the Iceland, and 

 some are very short in the wool and coarse. On the 

 other hand, some of the best are nearly equal to the 

 English in quality. Many thousand rugs are imported 

 annually from China, and range in price from 3s. to 

 6s. 6d. These are generally bought by Manchester 

 warehousemen, and are cleaned and dyed various 

 colours. A few thousand skins are imported raw for 

 leather. The wool of the China Sheep affords also an 

 important article of commerce, and is shipped from 

 Shanghai to London. 



The China Lamb is generally imported as Mandarin 

 Crosses, many skins being used to form one Cross. 

 The wool of these is very coarse, and in very small curls, 

 and these Crosses are worth 15s. to 20s. each, and are 

 dyed various colours. 



