BREEDS OF SHEEP AND GOATS 347 



breeds. For this reason the Cheviot has never been suited 

 to the range country. The quality of Cheviot mutton is 

 very superior, having very fine grain, and lacking surplus 

 fat. In mutton carcass contests in the English and Scotch 

 shows, this breed and its cross-breds have always held a 

 high place. It is not widely distributed outside of its native 

 home, though found in the United States in New York, Ohio, 

 Illinois, Wisconsin, and in other states of the Middle West. 



The Suffolk sheep comes from the county after which 

 it is named, in southeastern England. It belongs to the 

 medium- wool class, and is a mutton breed of distinct merit. 

 In the carcass contests of the Smithfield Club Show in Eng- 

 land, it has been a leading prize winner. The head, ears, 

 and legs of the Suffolk are distinctly black in color, 

 giving a group of these sheep a very striking appearance. 

 Mature rams weigh about 250 pounds and the ewes 175 

 pounds. The fleece is not heavy. Suffolks are not exten- 

 sively bred in England, although growing in popularity and 

 but few of them are to be found in America. In fact, they 

 are very rare here, and are not often seen at our sheep shows, 

 neither have they been much advertised in America. 



The Tunis sheep takes its name from Tunis, in northern 

 Africa, where it is supposed to have originated. In 1799, 

 General Eaton, United States Consul at Tunis, received a 

 gift of a number of these sheep, two of which survived a 

 voyage to America. Other importations followed this one 

 of General Eaton. These early importations were kept in 

 the eastern and southern states, and little was done to im- 

 prove them. They are peculiar in having a large, fat tail, 

 and have often been called "Fat Tailed Sheep." In recent 

 years, especially since about 1893, they have been bred in 

 small flocks, in different parts of the country, but especially 

 in Indiana, Kentucky, and New York. They are of medium 

 size, with brown, or mottled brown and white faces, and 

 brown legs. The tail is cut off soon after birth, as with 



