8 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP 



an ancient relationship to the sheep, and that the latter is 

 the original parent of our European race, while the races 

 at present existing 1 in Asia have descended from the former. 

 As we have to do with the sheep of Europe, it will be neces- 

 sary to confine ourselves simply to this European wild sheep, 

 and note its resemblance to the first domesticated breed of 

 modern sheep, the Merino. 



MUSMON OF EUROPE. 



For the first record of sheep we have is of this tiiia 

 wooled variety, which was most carefully cultivated by the 

 ancient Romans who made the fine and costly garments, 

 even the imperial robes dyed in the costly Tyrian purple, 

 of the wool of the ancient Merino of Spain, which is the 

 progenitor of the Merino of the present time. 



