MERINO. 9 



iknce, but the cheeks and forehead are disfigured by 

 coarse hair. The legs are long and small in the bone; 

 the breast and back are narrow, the sides flat, and too 

 much of the weight is expended on the coarser parts. 

 There is a peculiar looseness of skin beneath the 

 throat, which is admired in Spain as denoting a ten- 

 dency to weight and fineness of wool, though regarded 

 in this country as a sign of a bad skin and want of 

 af)titude to fatten. The average weight of the fleece 

 in Spain is, 8 lbs. from the ram, and 5 lbs. from the 

 ewe. The abundance of the yolk enables the wool to 

 detain all the filth which comes in contact with it, so 

 much so, that by washing the weight is diminished 

 about three-fifths. The fibre of the wool is finer than 

 that of any other sheep, and the carcass, when fat, 

 averages from 12 lbs. to 16 lbs. a-quarter. They are 

 quiet and tractable, and possessed of many good quali- 

 ties, but they are liable to abortion, are bad nurses, 

 and require a large supply of food, for which, owing to 

 an unprofitable form, they yield no return. Fig. 2. P. IV. 

 The Merinos were at one time in great request in 

 various countries, from a supposition that they would 

 speedily supplant other breeds ; but this has never 

 been the case, as the animal soon degenerates when 

 out of Spain, and is only valuable so far as giving rise 

 to varieties, which are equal, if not superior to itself. 

 Large profits were at first expected from their wool, 

 but these were reduced to a trifle when the loss of 

 weight, and fineness in the carcass were taken into 

 account. Mr Hose of Melton Mowbray, put a certain 

 p.umber of Leicester ewes to a ram of the same breed, 

 and an equal number to a merino ram. The result 



