1793- account of the fat <-^mptd JJjeep. 241 



On the diffkrent varieties of Sheep in a wild and jdo- 



MESTIC STATE, REARED IN THE RuSSIAN EmPIRE, AND B? 

 THE PASTORAL NATIONS FROM THE FRONTIERS OF EuRO.PE TO 



THOSE Of China. 



1'he third variety. 



'The fat rumpedjhcep. 



Continued from p. 201. 

 £)r Pallas on the subject of woo! combats an 

 opinion of Aristotle, that its finenefs depends 0:1 

 the tendernefs of the ikin from which it rises ; and 

 offers the fleece of this very variety of flieep, as a 

 refutation of the doctrine ; for the uropygium, throat, 

 and belly, where the Ikin is thinnest, are covered 

 with coarse hair instead of wool. He then offers 

 his own opinion on the subject, which is, that the 

 quality of wool depends on the state of the fieih, and 

 cellular substance, rather than the Ikia ; as we see 

 in wild beasts, that the leaner animals have the fin- 

 est glofsy hair, whilst those with aq oily ikin. such 

 as the hog, the phocus, and the bear, have the coars- 

 est of all species of hair, under the name of bristles^. 

 The temperature of climate the doctor thinks, 



* I fliould suspect, that here also no general rule could be esta- 



bliflied. The martin and all that clafs of animals whicK are known 



to carry fine furs, are not remarkable for leannefi; and the beuver ia 



riarticular, whose wool is the softest as well as the closest of the fur- 



VOL. svi. H H T 



