EAST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER. 85 



Tripoli agency. They were also distinguished by the great length of 

 their tail, which attained 15 pounds, resembling marrow in its substance 

 i and was esteemed by epicures. The fourth specimen was a Fezzan ram, 

 f clothed with hair, which formed a mane upon the neck and shoulders 

 ! and attained several inches on the dewlap. In the nature of the hair 

 [this animal approaches the goat, as well as in ftielong and slender legs, 

 while the projecting nose and recurved horns eminently distinguishes 

 the variety.* 



For many years a variety of these broad-tailed African sheep was 

 cultivated in South Carolina and Georgia, in the first-named State by 

 Col. Eichard Singleton and in the last-named by Eichard Peters. 

 James W. Watts, of Cartersville, Ga., in a communication to the Ameri- 

 can Farmer, under date of October 14, 1858, said that he then had a flock 

 of very rare breed, known as the African broad-tailed, which he obtained 

 from a flock in South Carolina, the only one he knew of in the United 

 States, formerly owned by Col. Singleton, and bred from several impor- 

 tations made by him from the coast of Africa by crossing on the com- 

 mon sheep. They were remarkably hardy and appeared to be exempt 

 from the snuffles, and while other sheep were driven to the shade by the 

 heat of the sun they grazed with impunity and did not suffer. When 

 pure bred and kept very fat (as they were apt to be if they had half a 

 chance), the great weight of their tails offered a barrier to the buck, 

 but this was obviated by a little management. Mr. Watts regarded 

 them as an excellent cross on common sheep for all purposes. They 

 yielded a good fleece of coarse wool, which they held well till shearing 

 time, which many other breeds did not. Mr. Watts afterwards removed 

 to South Carolina, and in a letter from Laurens County, in that State, 

 under date of December 22, 1877, said that he was still breeding the 

 African broad-tailed, and that if the principal object in raising sheep 

 was mutton for the market he would certainly recommend them, because 

 they mature earlier; and were the question one of long combing wool for 

 his lorality he would cross the Cotswold ewe with the broad-tailed rani 

 " for all the range of the country here this side of the Blue Eidge." On 

 the rich bottom lands of the coast he suggested the cross with the Cots- 

 wold, which would give a variety that would thrive in any climate South. 



The Tunis sheep is but one of the several subordinate varieties which 

 may be referred to the Barbary race or Guinea sheep, and of which 

 specimens have been brought into this country, among which may be 

 mentioned such as the Morocco breed with long wool, the hair on the 

 neck short, undulating, and of a rufous-brown color ; the ears small and 

 horizontal; the horns small, turning spirally outwards, the scrotum 

 forming two separate sacs, and the general color white marked with 

 liver-colored brown. This is the first African sheep that approaches 

 the expectations naturally raised respecting those fine rams which were 

 crossed with the Spanish ewes centuries ago, giving a breed that re- 



* American Farmer, February 17, 1841. 



