Remarks on Form of Merinos, 243 



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wool far exceeds any I have seen (for others may be equal 



ply) and the dexvlap^ or pendulous skin under the neck and 

 throat, are marks of blood and race. I cannot conjecture why 

 these should have been overlooked or Ibrgotten, when the 

 broad-tail was called a sport of nature. I saw in Don Pedro^ 

 the first perfect merino sheep, I had ever attentively examin- 

 ed, when stripped of its fleece. If the merino should be of 

 African origin (as some suppose) nature, in that quarter, is 

 singularly playful ; and addicted to strange pranks in the ani- 

 mal kingdom : if it be really so, that broad-tails^ bunches ^pro- 

 tuberant occipita and sheep's dewlaps^ are her sporting amuse- 

 ments : and I see not that she should be confined to any one, 

 (if so they are) of these eccentric fantasies. — But the truth is, 

 that in Africa there are more original indigenous varieties of 

 animcds and plants^ than in any other quarter of the globe. It 

 was the scene of primitive creation; and not of nature's sports. 

 It is common, I perceive, to dock the tails of merino sheep. 

 A question of Mr. Dupont's — " Whether I thought that of 

 the Tunis sheep could be safely cut off?" (which he asked 

 with a view to its facilitating the crossing a ewe with his ram) 

 reminded me of an omission in my remarks on this sheep. 

 The configuration of the under part of the Tunis tail, assists 

 in carrying off the excrement ; so as not to foul the wool ; 

 and to pieserve a general cleanliness in the hinder parts.*— 

 This sheep rarely scours ; as do common sheep on succu- 

 lent pastures ; owing to weak or diseased bowels. The ope- 

 ration of excision, of the whole tail, would not be safe ; 

 nor do the reasons exist, as to this, which induce the dock- 

 ing other sheep. We sometimes cut off the supplementary 

 curl or tail, below the fleshy protuberance. This may be done 

 with perfect safety, though it disfigures the tail, and is not 

 essential to cleanliness. Crossing can be accomplished with no 

 great difficulty, but it requires some management. It is fre- 

 quently effected, ^y^thout any auxiliary means, with a Tuni$ 

 ewe.— R. P. 



