SHEEP. 117 



leather is manufactured, being supposed to take the dye better 

 than those of sheep. Cordovan, another kind of leather, is pre- 

 pared from Goat skins, a manufacture that is extensively carried 

 on in Peru.] 



LESSON XI. 



Genus of Sheep, (Jlrgali, Mouflon, Domestic Sheep.) Wool. 

 Merinos. Genus of the Ox, (Common Ox, Jluroch, Buffalo, 

 Bison, Yack.)Use of Oxen. Milk. Butter. Cheese. 

 Leather. 



ORDER OP CETACEA. Zoological Characters. Peculiarities of 

 Organization. Habits. Division into two Families. Her- 

 bivorous Cetacea. Manati. Ordinary Cetacea. Apparatus 

 of the Blowers. Genus of Dolphins, (Dolphin, Porpoise.) 

 Genus of Narwhals. Genus of Cachalots. Organization. 

 Habits. Spermaceti. Genus of Whales. Organization and 

 Habits. Whalebone. Fat. Uses. Whale Fishing. 



1. The genus SHEEP, Om, -is composed of animals whose 

 horns are directed at first backwards, and then incline spirally, 

 more or less forwards ; they are without a beard, and have a 

 convex chanfrin ; in other respects they do not differ very much 

 from goats. 



Of the different species of the genus sheep, we will mention : 



2. The Jlrgali of Siberia, Ovis JLmmon (Plate 5. fig. 11.) 

 The male of this species has very large horns, which are trian- 

 gular at their base, rounded at the angles, flattened in front, 

 striated behind: the female has compressed horns in the form of 

 a scythe ; the spring coat is smooth : of a grayish, fawn colour, 

 while that of winter is hard, thick, and reddish gray, with a white 

 or whitish muzzle, throat and belly ; the tail is very short. 



3. This animal, which, it seems, should be considered as the 

 parent and stock of all varieties of the domestic Sheep, is 

 found in great numbers in Kamtschatka, in all the mountainous 

 regions of Central Asia and on the highest mountains of Bar- 

 bary, of Corsica, and of Greece. It grows to be as large as a 

 deer : it is an agile, active animal, with a very delicate sense of 

 smell, and is taken with very great difficulty. Its flesh is very 

 much esteemed by the natives of Kamtschatka. 



1. What kind of animals belong to the genus of Sheep? 



2. What are the the specific characters of the Argali ? 



3. What animal is supposed to be the original stock of common Sheep ? 

 Where is the Argali found ? 



