SOME CURIOUS DOMESTIC SHEEP 47 



but in time the flocks in that country multiplied to 

 such an extent that the yield of wool became greater 

 than the populace could turn to account, so a sale 

 of the surplus animals was held. It is recorded 

 that King Louis XVI took advantage of this oppor- 

 tunity to secure a herd, and established a merino 

 farm at the village of Rambouillet, situated about 

 forty miles to the west of Paris. The flock was 

 managed so skilfully that, in the course of time, 

 the animals improved to such an extent both in size 

 and wool-bearing qualities as to receive the nick- 

 name of ' elephant sheep.' Descendants of this 

 Rambouillet herd are now to be found in many 

 parts of the world, and large flocks are to be met 

 with in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, 

 South America, and the United States. 



Both sexes of wild sheep possess horns, but 

 selective breeding of domestic sheep has resulted 

 in the production of varieties some of which are 

 hornless, whilst others possess two, three, or even 

 as many as six of those appendages. 



Few domestic sheep are more remarkable, or have 

 given rise to more controversy, than the Indian one- 

 horned or unicorn-sheep, of which the first living 

 specimens ever seen in this country formed part 

 of a large collection of Nepalese animals presented 

 to King George V, when Prince of Wales, that were 

 exhibited at the London Zoological Gardens in the 

 year 1906. Although receiving the name of unicorn 

 sheep, these animals really possess a pair of horns, 

 for if we examine one of their skulls and remove 

 the horn-sheath from its bony support, it will be 



