1793' account of the Tscherkefsianjheep. 1*3 



garb worn out of doors ; and the least in estimation 

 is the whitifh, except it be of a very pure colour 

 and silky appearance, when it is a rival to the first ; 

 especially for night gowns, a very common drefs, 

 both morning and evening, amongst the Rufsians, 

 particularly in the interior parts of the empire*. 

 To be continued, 



* Tt appears from books of ancient travels, that this curious kind of 

 Iamb's fur has been long an article of tiafHc, and in great request in those 

 <:oiintries ; and we learn from this instance, that the people are nei- 

 ther inattentive to the elegancies of life, nor incapable of availing 

 themselves, by their ingenuity'and application, of those blefsings that 

 Heaven has thrown in their way. 



It appears from these notices, that either these is a diversity of 

 colours among this breed of flieep, or that the wool is stained, so as 

 to afsume the colours above mentioned. The first seems the most pro- 

 bable ; for if it were done by art, they could obtain the black furs in 

 any quantities, as well as those of every other colour, if the original 

 wool be of a pure white. It would seem that this fine white is ra- 

 ther uDJOmmon, and that when it does occur it is very much pri- 

 sed. 



The silky glcfs here mentioned, has a nearer resemblance to hair 

 than to wool in its usual state. Among the great diversity of 

 breeds of fheep ia this country, there are some which carry crisped 

 wool frizzled up, as it would seem nearly in the same manner as A- 

 frican negroe'shair. Other breeds carry lank wool, hanging streight 

 down in locks, nearly as goats hair : while in other cases, though the 

 filaments be parallel to each other, and by no means frizzled in their 

 natural state, yet these locks are gently waved, as if they had been 

 done up by pmcers. This is the case with most of the Shetland 

 breed of ftietp. It is probable the wool cf the lambs here mention- 

 ed may resemble these. It would tend much to the increase of 

 knowledge, could some genuine specimens of these furs, and other 

 (kins of flicep of the most valuable breeds in different parts of the 

 V. orld, so drefscd as to preserve the fleece entire, when at its full 

 growth, be procured, and deposited in the museums of natural history 

 all over Europe ; and the Editor of this Miscellany willbemccho- 

 iilitrfd to sucU of his ccrresporJcnts abroad, into wLoss hand's this 



