FAMILY CAPRID^. Ill 



this family in the United States, and, with the exception of two introduced species, none 

 within the hmits of this State. The common goat (Capra hircus) has been introduced, but 

 not to any extent, and is considered of httle value. 



GENUS OVIS. Linneus. 



Lower incisors eight. No muzzle. Horns {generally common to both sexes) with a cellular 

 bony nucleus, large, triangular, directed backwards, and returning spirally more or less in 

 front. No beard. Forehead arched. Tail short. Mammce two, inguinal. 



THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



OviS ARIES. 



The primitive stock of this well known and useful animal is supposed by some to be the 

 O. ammon ; while others consider it to be a distinct species whose primitive type is the O. 

 musmon, still found wild in the mountainous districts of eastern Europe. 



The original stock of sheep in this State was derived from Holland, as we learn from Van- 

 derdonck, who wrote about the year 1650. It is probable that they were almost immedi- 

 ately crossed with the common English breed, imported into the neighboring colony of New- 

 England. " Sheep," he says, " are also kept in the New-Netherlands, but not as many as 

 " in New-England, where the weaving business is carried on, and where much more attention 

 " is paid to them than by the New-Netherlanders. The sheep, however, thrive well, and 

 " become fat enough. I have seen mutton there so exceeding fat, that it was too luscious 

 " and offensive. The sheep breed well, and are healthy ; they find good pasture in summer 

 " and good hay in winter ; but the flocks require to be guarded and tended on account of the 

 " wolves, for which purpose men cannot be spared. There is also a more important hind- 

 " ranee to the keeping of sheep, which are chiefly cultivated for their wool. New-Netherland 

 " is a woody country throughout, being almost every where beset with trees, stumps and 

 " brush-wood, wherein the sheep pasture, and by which they lose most of their wool. This 

 " is not apparent until they are sheared, \vhen the fleeces turn out very light." 



It is interesting to compare the account of the early introduction of sheep into New- York, 

 with the results after a lapse of nearly two hundred years. By the census of 1840, there 

 were no less than 5,381,225 sheep in the State of New- York alone. 



The common sheep of this State formerly yielded a coarse wool, scarcely averaging three 

 pounds to the fleece ; they were excellent breeders, and the young throve well even when 

 entirely neglected. Within the last forty years, the introduction of foreign varieties, remark- 

 able for the fineness of their wool and the improved quahty of their flesh, has caused the old 

 common stock in this State to disappear. 



The first variety introduced into New- York, was the Spanish merino : this occurred in 1801. 

 It was not, however, until seven or eight years after, that their importance began to be appre- 



