1793* atcount of domesUcJIoeep. li') 



nos, t^c. of authors, as only accidental varieties o£ 

 the same species of flieep ; as he does the capra Sy- 

 riaca sen rnamhrina. (. d all the o her fanciful sub- 

 divisions of authors of the goat species, as only vari~ 

 eties of "that animal. 



However, it must be acknowledged, that Dr Pal- 

 las had opportunities in his extensive travels, of clear- 

 ing up the doubts which prevented other naturalists 

 before him, from deciding on that curious subject. 

 It is well known, that if all the different kinds of Iheep, 

 or of any other animal, when the breeds ar.? crofsed 

 in every pofsible direction, always generate z. prolific 

 stock, or in other words, produce young which are 

 capable of propagating their species through many 

 generations ; in that case, there is no specific diffe- 

 rence between them, and all the different kinds, how- 

 ever various they may be in form, \3c. are only va- 

 rieties of the fheep. 



Whereas different species of any animal, although 

 they may generate together, only produce a barren 

 progeny which naturalists agree in naming mules, 

 which cannot propagate their species throrigh many ge- 

 nerations ; if we are even to give credit to those who 

 pretend they have through two or three, in some 

 singular cases, or rare instances. 



Now Dr Pallas had an opportunity of convin- 

 cing himself, that the long tailed, fhort tailed, fut tail- 

 ed, and mixed Boucharian breed of iheep, the four 

 varieties he treats of, all produce a prolific race, 

 when crofsed in every direction, and are therefore not 

 different species. 



