THE AMERICAN MERINO 



491 



Aguirre Merinos had more wool about the face and legs than 

 did the other families. The wool was more crimped than that of the 

 Paulars and less so than that of the Negrettis, and was thick and 

 soft. The Aguirres had short legs, round and broad bodies, and. 

 much loose skin, or folds. In a letter written to Consul Jarvis in 

 December, 1810, the writer states that Cochran Johnson had "sent 

 about three thousand Merinos, principally Aguirres, to New York." 



Negretti Merinos 

 were the largest and 

 strongest of the Trans- 

 humantes sheep of 

 Spain. The wool was 

 somewhat shorter and 

 more open than that 

 of the Paular and 

 " inclined to double." 

 Many Negrettis were 

 wooled on the face and 

 on the legs to the hoofs. 

 All the loose-skinned 

 sheep had heavy dew- 

 laps. The rams pos- 

 sessed large horns. 



Guadaloupe Merinos 

 were heavier of bone 

 than the Negrettis and 



were of much the same size, but were not so handsome, ac- 

 cording to Jarvis, although Lasteyrie credits them with the most 

 perfect form and says they are celebrated also for the quantity 

 and quality of their wool. These sheep had numerous folds, and 

 the wool was thick and crimped and more oily than the Negrettis. 



Escurial Merinos were about as tall as the Paulars, but were 

 slighter of frame. Their wool was crimped and not so thick as 

 that of the Paular, and they had less wool on the legs and face. 

 The skins of the Escurial sheep were not so loose as were those 

 of the Negretti and Aguirre families. Another family, known as 

 the Montarcos, very closely resembled the Escurials, but were not 

 prime favorites for importation to America. 



FIG. 218. A map of Spain, showing the provinces 

 in which Merino breeding was important at the 

 beginning of the nineteenth century. The chain 

 marks indicate the routes that were followed by the 

 Transhumantes flocks 



