tGl account of fat rutnpedjheep. -^ug, 7, 



gions although likewise cold, but exoosed to the 

 south,^ and the genial influence of the sun, pro- 

 duce the largest domestic rams Dr Pallas saw in his 

 whole travels, larger than those of the Kirguise, and 

 not even yicldingin size to the European musimon; yet 

 the mafs of fat on the rump or tail is very small, 

 not exceeding much the size of two fists, and seldom 

 weighing ten pounds. 



The reason of this remarkable change in the size 

 of the fat tail or uropygium, seems to be, that 

 there is very little wormwood in that district ; and 

 although there are some salt lakes, which produce 

 an efflorescence, yet the pasture is little or nothing 

 impregnated with it, which has so great a ftiare, in 

 Dr Pallas's opinion, in producing that particular 

 species of fat which forms on the tail. The plants 

 that obtain there are chiefly leguminous Alpine 

 plants, amongst which the most nutritious are the 

 astragali, and a small fhrub much resembling the 

 robinia caragatia, which flieep devour with much a- 

 vidity, and which has a considerable ftiare in in- 

 creasing their size. It is likewise necefsary to add, 

 that very little snow lies on these mountains, and of 

 course the flocks have open pasture all winter ; so 

 that it is not so surprising if Iheep which have the 

 same nourifliment, and pretty much the same range and 

 habits as the musimon or wild variety, ftiould ap- 

 proach them in size, whilst the absence of that load 

 of fat on the tail, so remarkable in the Kirguise flocks 

 in the southern deserts of Great Tartary, is evident- 

 ly accounted for, according to the doctor'^ hypothesisj 



