MERINO SHEEP 



The writer of a recently printed book concerning 

 Americans of royal descent, and all such Americans 

 as come near to being so graciously favored, has 

 neglected to mention certain Americans who are 

 descended from the pets of the proudest kings and 

 nobles of the Old World. For there is such a family 

 here — one so large that it greatly outnumbers all 

 American descendants of European royal lines, 

 excepting perhaps those of the Green Isle, almost 

 as prolific of kings as of Democrats. They carry 

 their finely clothed, blue-blooded bodies on four 

 legs, for they are the famous American Merino 

 sheep. 



The Merino sheep originated in Spain, probably 

 two thousand years ago, from a cross of African 

 rams with the native ewes, and in course of time 

 became established as a distinct breed, with such 

 marked characteristics as to differentiate them 

 from all other breeds in the world. 



Different provinces had their different strains 

 of Merinos, which were like strawberries in that, 

 though all were good, some were better than others. 

 There were also two great divisions — the Trans- 

 humantes or traveling flocks, and the Estantes 

 or stationary flocks. The Transhumantes were 



