104 THE DOMESTIC SHEEP. 



Understanding this, we are then prepared to study thy 

 history and the principles, as far as these have been ac- 

 curately determined, of the breeding of sheep. 



What is a breed? Some think it is nothing more or less 

 than a distinct variety of any of the domesticated animals, 

 differentiated from all others by certain marks and types, 

 which are accurately reproduced by the animals so specially 

 different from all others than their own ancestors aud prog- 

 eny. In short it is a class of animals which reproduce their 

 kind with a certain degree of similarity in the most impor- 

 tant features. Thus, those believing this to be the true 

 meaning of the term breed, do not include among the breeds 

 any of the wild animals, and only the domesticated kinds. 

 Without discussing this questionable point, we only here 

 remark that our understanding of the matter is, that any 

 distinct class of animals existing, whether wild or domes- 

 ticated, that reproduces itself with exactness of form, 

 color, or habit of life, is a breed. For, where have 

 we among our domestic animals, any that exhibit the 

 distinctive habit O'f a breed, better or more strictly 

 than the wild animals the buffalo, or the antelope, 

 or the deer, or the various w 7 ild birds; or what 

 race of sheep retains its constant form and habits more 

 exactly than the wild big-horn, or those other races of undo- 

 mesticated sheep of which it is the belief of every scientific 

 naturalist our modern breeds are the progeny. And these 

 habits and special peculiarities every breeder of sheep con- 

 siders and understands; and works under this principle of 

 perpetuating these characteristics in his flocks. 



When the first shepherd undertook to reclaim the wild 

 race, and subject them to his use for the valued skins, or 

 fleece, or the meat for his food, we may be sure he began 

 by selecting those which came nearest his idea of the great- 

 est usefulness. Thus the improvement of the sheep dates 

 back to the remotest antiquity, long before there are any 

 historic records, and the first knowledge we have of the re- 

 sults cf this selection and special variation by breeding, 

 based on this selection, is gained from the remains of tlm 

 bones of the domesticated sheep discovered from time to 

 time in the ancient caves, and the beds of lakes, where 

 primogenlal mankind lived and died, and left the remains 



