DOMESTICATED MAMMALS AND THEIR USES 



229 



for the more convenient carriage of this monstrous appendage. 

 The nomad races of the steppes of Asia possess vast flocks of 

 a related variety, in which, however, the flat tail is very short, 

 and the fat is concentrated on the sides of the rump. The colour 

 of the breed is black, white, or a mixture of the two, and the 

 familiar " Persian lamb" and " astrachan " of commerce are the 

 product of young animals of this breed. The Merino Sheep, 

 originally confined to Spain but now widely distributed, is noted 

 for the length and fineness of its wool. 



Fig. 1165. Angora Goats 



The economic importance of wool may be illustrated by the 

 statement that in 1902 our import (worth ^20,236,000) amounted 

 to 678 million pounds, and the home production to 136 million 

 pounds. Of these amounts 320 million pounds were exported, while 

 the remainder, i.e. 494 million pounds, was worked up for home use. 



THE GOAT (CAPRA HIRCUS). Although this animal does not 

 rank so high as the sheep from the economic stand-point, it 

 possesses considerable value as a source of meat, dairy products, 

 and clothing. We know that it was domesticated by the Swiss 

 lake-dwellers during the Stone Age in rather greater numbers 

 than the sheep. In the same remote period goats, as well as 

 sheep and oxen, were among the tame animals possessed by 

 prehistoric man in Britain. 



