33 THESHEEP. 



Sheep, like other ruminant animals, are destitute of 

 upper front teeth, but, like the cow, have eight in the 

 lower jaw, which at stated periods they also change. Yet 

 this * animal, in its domestic state, is too well known 

 to require detail ; but if we would see it in an advan- 

 tageous point, we must seek it in the deserts of Africa, 

 or Siberia's plains. The woolly sheep, as it is seen 

 among us, is only found in Europe and some of the 

 temperate provinces in Asia ; and when these are trans- 

 ported into warmer climes, they lose the wool, and as- 

 sume a hairy covering more calculated to make them 

 endure the intensity of the heat. 



In Iceland, Muscovy, and the cold climates of the 

 North, in form they resemble the English breed, but 

 they generally have four, and sometimes eight horns, 

 sprouting from different parts of their head ; their wool 

 also differs from ours, and is long, hairy, and very 

 smooth ; in colour it is of a dark brown, and under its 

 outward coat of hair it has an internal covering that 

 rather resembles fur than wool. 



Another variety to be found in this animal, comes 

 under the description of the broad-tailed sheep, which is 

 common i n Barbary, Egypt, and Syria; likewise in Persia, 

 Tartary, and Arabia: the tail of these creatures is often 

 known to weigh from twenty to thirty pounds, and is 

 obliged to be supported by aboard upon wheels, to pre- 

 vent it from being bruised by rubbing on the ground. 



The third variety, which is observable in this species, is 

 in the Archipelago breed ; the creature is there called the 

 Sterpsicheros, and only differs from our sheep in having 

 straight horns surrounded with a spiral furrow. The 



* The sheep supplies us with food, cloathing, and leather ; it goes five 

 mouths with young, and frequently has more than one at a time. 



