2i4 TH E MOUFLON, &c. 



upon the hair of goats, cats, and rabbits: It 

 adts in the fame manner upon the wool of fheep, 

 which is very fine in Spain, and ftill finer in 

 that part of Perfia *. 



3. The large tailed fheep, whofe wool is very 

 fine in temperate countries, fiich as Perfia, Syria, 

 and Egypt; but, in warmer climates, it is con- 

 verted into hair more or lefs coarfe. 



4. The 



* At Mefchet in the country of Chorazan, on the fron- 

 tiers of Perfia, lamb fkins formerly conftituted a great article 

 of commerce. The fleeces were of a beautiful filver gray 

 colour, all curled, and Hner than filk : Thofe fheep which 

 come from the mountains to the fouth of this city, and from 

 the province of Kerman, afford the fined wool in Perfia ; Re- 

 lation de la Grande Tartar ie, p. 187. — The greateft part of this 

 line wool is furnifhed by the province of Kerman, which is 

 the ancient Caramania ; and the bed kind comes from the 

 mountains adjacent to the town, which has the fame name 

 with the province. It is fmgular, that, when the fheep of 

 thefe places have eat the new herbage from. January to 

 May, the fleeces fall entirely off, and leave the animals as 

 bare as fcalded pigs ; fo that there is no occafion for fheaiing 

 them, as in France. When the fleeces are collected, they are 

 beat or threfhed ; by which operation the coarfer part fe pa- 

 lates, and leaves nothing but the fine. This wool is ne- 

 ver dyed : It is naturally of a bright brown or a gray afli-co- 

 lour, <md very little of it is white ; Voyage de Taverr/ier, tjm. 

 x. p. 1 30. The wedders of the Uibeck and Bcfchac Tar- 

 tars have long, grayilh wool, curled at the ends into fmall 

 white rings, which have the appearance of pearls. Thefe 

 fleeces are more eiteemed than the fleih ; becaufe, next to the 

 fable, they are the mod valuable furs ufed in Perfia. The 

 animals are fed with great care, and generally in the made, 

 When obliged to be expofed to the open air, they are covered 

 like our horfes. The tail of thefe wedders is fmall, like that 

 : the common kin J ; Voyage d'Okarius, torn. I. p. 547. 



