228 UNGULATES. 



On the other hand, in the countries to the eastward of the Caspian Sea, such 

 as Persia and many parts of Central Asia, as well as in North-Eastern Central 

 Africa, we find that the flat tail becomes short or rudimentary, and the fat 

 accumulates on either side of the haunches in two great protuberances. Hence this 

 breed is designated 0. aries steatopyga. This breed, as shown in our illustration, is 

 of large size, and differs from most domesticated sheep in its completely hairy 



THE BLACK-HEADED SHEEP (jV liat. size). 



pelage. The coat of the adult resembles, indeed, very closely that of many wild 

 sheep, generally consisting of short and close hair, and yielding no wool capable of 

 being spun or woven. The lambs have, however, a perfectly woolly coat. In 

 Abyssinia Mr. Blanford states that the fat-tailed sheep kept in the highlands differ 

 from the ordinary breed in being covered with wool. They have also frequently 

 well-developed and handsomely-curled horns. In our figured example of the hairy 

 breed of these sheep, the hair is white on the body but black on the head and front 

 part of the neck. The horns are small and curved. These sheep are kept in great 



