80 



IMPROVEMENT OF THE BREE03. 



servations on animals on whose heads more than two 

 horns are occasionally met with. We always in such 

 instances notice, that the additional horns are straight, 

 thus indicating- the presence of a considerable quantity 

 of hair among the wool. The curve will be more de- 

 cided, and the twists more numerous, in proportion as 

 the fibre comes nearer and nearer to a perfect wool — 

 evidence of which we have in the beautifully-tufted and 

 spiral horns of the Merino ram, which are as opposite 

 in this respect to those of the goat, as is its fleece to 

 the hairy coat of the latter. From these considera- 

 tions I am led to believe, that the form of the horn, 

 when present, is an excellent guide to the nature and 

 quality of the other coverings, and an index to every 

 gradation which can possibly occur between wool and 

 hair. 



C74.) The proper Temperature required for Sheep, 

 — Regular warmth is absolutely necessary for the pro- 

 duction of a good animal and a fine fleece, and is only 

 to be obtained by attending to the draining and clear- 

 ing of land, so as to dissipate moisture, and allow cur- 

 rents of air to play freely across the country.* An at- 

 mosphere which holds suspended a large quantity of 

 watery vapour, is always extremely chilling to an ani- 

 mal body. This is accounted for by the well-known 

 fact, that a moist air, being a better conductor of caloric 

 than a dry one, robs an animal more quickly of heat. 

 Thus, in passing from the dry air of the hills into the 



* It IB to secure equality of temperature that the Spanish flocke are 

 twice in the year exposed to the hazard of an overland journey of 400 

 miles, that they may pass the summer in the mountains of the noi*.h, 

 av.i\ the winter in the southern plains. 



