MODERN SII.KEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 137 



and killed for winter use. Every family, no matter how poor, 

 seems to own at least one of these sheep, which is literally stuffed all 

 through the summer and fall so as to be as fat as possible. At 

 the beginning of the colder weather the sheep is killed and the 

 flesh cut up into small pieces and cooked. The cooked meat is 

 then packed into earthen jars, the suet is melted and poured over it, 

 and the jars stored away. During the winter this meat and suet 

 is taken out of the jars in small quantities for daily use, forming 

 the animal food of the owner. 



QUARTO-NIPPLED SHEEP. 



Dr. Alexander Graham Bell, the inventor of the telephone, 

 has for sixteen years been engaged in evolving a new type of sheep. 

 His work is based upon the selection of ewes showing rudimentary 

 nipples on their udders. These have been nurtured and developed 

 until every ewe, cow-like, has four functional nipples instead of 

 two as found in all ordinary sheep. In some instances it is said the 

 nipples have increased to six. Dr. Bell is quite sure that he will 

 have no difficulty in evolving quarto-nippled ewes. The doctor's 

 ewes almost invariably produce twin lambs and it is along this 

 line that the doctor has directed his efforts. One of the doctor's 

 ewe lambs carries eight well formed nipples. 



OLD MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



There used to be a breed of sheep common to West Virginia, 

 known as the "Old Mountain Sheep/' and called "Reg Legs" or 

 "White Legs," according to their color. They were evolved from 

 the original sheep brought to that section of the country by the 

 colonists. One who has bred these sheep says that the "Red Legs" 

 are the best, and that no better mothers exist. The "White Legs" 

 look a good deal like Cheviots. What is said to be another family 

 of mountain sheep is common to the mountain districts of Vir- 

 ginia. One enthusiastic writer speaks of this family as having 

 black faces and legs with a fine white stripe down the front and 

 side of the face. This he thinks is best of all the mountain breeds 

 and he says that if only there was a Bakewell to take hold of them 

 for a few years that a breed of sheep could be evolved from them 

 that would outstrip any breed ever imported into this country. 



SAHARA SHEEP. 



According to a writer in the English Live Stock Journal the 

 sheep of the Sahara are both hardy and prolific. They live on the 

 saline shrubs eaten by the camel, and other plants, where grass is 

 scarce, and are regarded as "patient of thirst." In spring they 

 are driven to water once in five or six days ; in summer every other 

 day. During the great heat of summer pains are taken to prevent 



