

HISTORY. 39 



herds of Syria preceded, in their knowledge of necessary arts, 

 the future conquerors of their country. 



In the highest latitudes of Europe are found the short- 

 tailed Sheep of Northern Asia, which had even found their 

 way from Scandinavia to the most northerly of the British 

 Islands, where they still exist. In certain countries, too, of 

 the north of Europe, are found Polycerate Sheep ; hut the 

 greater part of the Sheep of Europe are of the common long- 

 tailed varieties, though manifestly derived from different 

 sources. For the most part, the Sheep of the richer countries 

 are larger than those of the poorer ; but this is not without 

 exception, since, in fertile countries, are found races of Sheep, 

 which, amidst the most abundant herbage, remain diminutive 

 in size. 



In European Turkey and Greece, the Sheep do not now 

 correspond with their ancient fame. They are of small size 

 and indifferent form. They are often of the broad-tailed race 

 of Asia Minor ; and some of them have the horns twisted like 

 certain Antelopes, forming the race designated Strepsiceros, 

 and sometimes termed the Cretan breed. In the Islands of 

 the Archipelago few Sheep are reared. Some of them are of 

 the Cretan, some of the Syrian breed, and some of them are 

 polycerate. 



Ascending the Danube, the Sheep are found to be of the 

 long- tailed varieties, with more or less of the characters of 

 the Cretan race. The breed of Wallachia may be regarded 

 as the type of the races which extend through Moldavia, 

 Transylvania, and westwards towards Vienna. They have 

 black faces, and long wiry wool, much mixed with hair. 



Italy, once so renowned for her Sheep, can now boast 

 . little . of this production of her bounteous clime. The Ro- 

 mans, whose dress was woollen, cultivated in an especial 

 degree the fineness of the fleece ; and it was not until the 

 days of the Empire that the silk and cotton of the East be- 

 gan to supersede the ancient raiment of the Roman people. 

 The finest wools of ancient Italy were produced in Apulia 



