LESSER KNOWN BREEDS OF SHEEP 887 



province of North Africa bordering on the Mediterranean 

 sea. Much of the land is hilly. The fat-tailed sheep 

 living in the upland region of the province are called 

 Tunis sheep. 



They are generally hornless ; face and legs of a yellow- 

 brown or tawny color ; a few are brown or mottled brown 

 and white. The tail is broad, being five to ten inches 

 wide, and is usually docked to about six inches. The 

 ears are large, broad, pendulous and covered with fine 

 hair. The fleece is soft, fine and fairly compact, about 

 three inches long, and varies in color. One may have a 

 fleece almost white, another reddish, and another mottled. 

 Mature specimens weigh 120 to 150 pounds. 



The origin of the Tunis breed is unknown. The type 

 has no doubt existed in Tunis for centuries, and also 

 in the adjoining sections of North Africa. Similar fat- 

 tailed sheep are found in Syria and are supposed to be 

 derived from a variety of the primitive race bred by the 

 patriarchs and the early shepherds of Palestine and ad- 

 jacent lands. 



The introduction of Tunis sheep to America is said to 

 date back to 1779, when the Bey of Tunis allowed General 

 Wm. Eaton, then United States Consul at Tunis, to ship 

 to America several " broad-tailed Barbary or Mountain 

 Tunis sheep." Only one pair reached the United States. 

 These were placed in the care of Judge Richard Peters, 

 on his farm near Philadelphia, where they did well and 

 increased in numbers. The original ram was afterwards 

 used on the farm of General Hand, in Lancaster county, 

 Pennsylvania. In 1807 or 1808, another importation 

 was made by Commodore Barron of the United States 

 navy. These were bred in Virginia and the District of 

 Columbia. In 1825, another importation was made, 



