132 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



like ordinary sheep, but a short, fine hair, similar to that of the 

 dog. The most peculiar thing about them is that they have a 

 large lump of pure fat growing right at the root of the tail, and 

 this fat varies in size and weight according to the condition of the 

 sheep. A medium-sized lump of this fat weighs about four pounds. 

 One of these sheep in reasonably good condition weighs from 35 to 

 40 pounds/' 



THE WALLACHIAN SHEEP. 



The Wa-llachian sheep is a variety of domestic sheep with 

 enormously long, spiral, upright horns. It is found in portions of 

 western Asia and eastern and southern Europe, where they are 

 known in some instances as Cretan sheep. The head, horns, hair 

 and general conformation resemble the mountain goat tribe much 

 more than sheep, though they are classed by naturalists as sheep. 



BARBADOS SHEEP. 



This breed of sheep was recently imported into this country 

 by the U. S. Department of Agriculture, by whom the picture 

 used in illustrating this sketch was furnished. Prof. George 

 Rommel of the Department, says of this breed : "Barbados sheep 



are raised in Barbados and 

 other parts of the West Indies 

 and are thought to be of African 

 origin. They are said to be 

 very, hardy and in dry districts 

 are profitable. Nearly every 

 peasant proprietor in the drier 

 districts around the coast keeps 

 a few head. They are tethered 

 to a peg while pasturing during 

 the day and are placed under 

 cover at night. They are a 

 medium-sized, upstanding, fawn- 

 Barbados Sheep. colored breed, practically without 

 wool, and hornless, or nearly so. 



Their color is exactly the shades of fawn seen in Jerseys. The 

 sheep are decidedly 'leggy/ but have fairly deep bodies and well- 

 sprung ribs. There is fair width of back and loin, but a very 

 deficient hind quarter. The rump is quite steep from the hips to 

 the tail-head and the tail is set very low. The thighs are 'cat- 

 hammed'; there is a little rotundity of buttocks, very little depth 

 of twist and the flesh is not carried down on the hocks as one 

 sees in the best mutton breeds. The ears are somewhat large and 

 drooping and are peculiarly marked with a light, fawn-eolored 



