BOOK VIII.] History of Nature. 87 



cate in Taste ; for those within the House feed upon Bram- 

 bles. The Coverings made of the Arabian Wool are the 

 most valuable. 



CHAPTER XLVIII. 

 Of the Kinds of Wool and Cloths. 



THE Wool of Apulia is held in the highest Estimation ; 

 then, that which in Italy is named the Greek Sheep's Wool, 

 but in other Countries is called Italian. In the third Rank 

 stands the Milesian Sheep. The Wool of Apulia is of a short 

 Staple, and is of Reputation for nothing beside Mantles. 

 About Tarentum and Canusium the richest of this Kind are 

 found : as also at Laodicea in Asia. For Whiteness there is 

 none better than that which groweth along the Po ; and yet 

 to this Day a Pound of it hath not exceeded the Price of an 

 hundred Sesterces. They do not shear Sheep everywhere ; 

 for the Custom of plucking their Fleece cont'mueth still in 

 some Places. There are several Sorts of Colours in Wool, so 

 that we are not able to give distinct Names to all that we 

 call Native. Black Fleeces 1 are chiefly in Spain; Pollentia, 

 near the Alps, has grey ; Asia is distinguished for red, and 

 these Wools are called Erythraese : in Boeotia the same. In 

 Canusia the Colour is yellow : and at Tarentum they are 

 brown. All Wool, in its native Grease, is used in Medicine. 2 

 About Istria and Liburuia the Fleece resembleth Hair rather 

 than Wool, and is not good to make Clothes with a high Nap ; 

 but serveth only for the Workman in Portugal, whose Weav- 

 ing in Net- work with Squares commendeth this Wool. The like 

 Wool is common about Piscenae, in the Province Narbonensis 

 (Languedoc) ; and such is found in Egypt : the Cloth made 

 of it, after it is worn bare, is dyed, and again will wear 

 during a Man's Life. The coarse, rough Wool, was in old 



1 JElian says that all the sheep are black in Abydena, B. iii. c. 32 ; 

 and Budiana, B. xvi. c. 33. In some soils of our country the fleece has a 

 strong red tinge, and on the granite in the middle of Cornwall they are 

 more than usually white. Wern. Club. 



3 B. xxix. c. 22. 



