INTRODUCTION. XV 



The most ancient breed of sheep was probably black, 

 like the Persian and Arabian sheep. Many dark sheep 

 are found in the Highlands of Scotland, Shetland, 

 Iceland, Italy, etc. The white seem to have been 

 selected for the sake of the wool. 



Blue, which is of such frequent occurrence in plants, 

 is seldom found in animals, the only species in which 

 this colour is found being the Blue-faced Mandrill. 

 The so-called Blue Fox is rather of a deep drab. 



Eed is of frequent occurrence ; for instance, the 

 Ked Fox, Red Squirrel, Eed Monkey, Black-backed 

 Jackal, etc. 



Cold has a great effect on the colour of the fur of 

 animals, as well as on the plumage of birds. It turns 

 them in many instances pure white, thus preventing 

 them from being seen in the snow by their enemies, and 

 also serving to retain the heat in their bodies, white being a 

 worse conductor of heat than black or drab. The "White 

 Fox, Ermine, and Hare furnish good examples of this ; 

 and amongst birds the pheasant of the Himalayas and 

 the ptarmigan of Norway. In severe weather in this 

 country the common Hare begins to assume the winter 

 coat ; the cheeks, back of the ears, and hind-quarters 

 becoming white, or greyish-white, and the white of the 

 belly extending further into the sides. 



The Arctic Hare has some of the colour remaining in 

 the tip of the ears, and the Ermine and White Fox in 

 the tip of the tail. 



QUALITY. , 



The quality of the fur depends to a great extent on 

 the mildness or severity of the winter. A cold winter 

 produces the best fur, and a mild winter the reverse. 



