DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



293 



Scythians <>t' the elevated plains of Inner Asiii, who, aeeordinj,' to Herodotus, obtained felt, and, 

 according to Strabo, food for thoir flocks, anil tin- patriarchal shepherds of the plains of Mesopotamia 

 the earliest instances of pastoral life dwelt in that part of the earth where the wild argivli* utill 

 exists in the greatest numbers. 



The ancient Hebrews were wholly an agricultural and pastoral people. Jlenee, with many 

 references to such a life, their pastures are deserlbed as " clothed with flocks." The course of I lie 

 diffusion of domesticated races from the Asiatic centre, where history points to the beginning of 



run AOIHAII. 



ral life, may easily be traced OS classical authors ol' <! recce and Jiolnc. 



iiflirms that sheep-hrecdiiif,' had extended to Northern Africa: and thai, ill his time, tile dry and hot, 

 climate of .Kthiopin exercised the same influence on the <;rowth of wool as at the present day. lie 

 expressly Bays: " The . Kthiopiali slice] > were small, and, instead ofhciii;,' woolly, were hairy, like gOate." 

 That domesticated shee] were numerous in Northern Africa in the time of Pindar, m-iy be inferred 

 from his de eribin^' Lyliia as "abounding in flocks." t Of flocks, Thrace is culled "the mother," by 

 Homer: and this is the earliest iveord of the d estio sheep in Europe. l-'i-oin that country we 



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