50 CLASS-BOOK OF ZOOLOGY. 



and of their hide are made various articles of clothing. 

 Their horns are without branches, and hollow. 



§ 173. The Gnou (Antilope Gnou) is of the size of a 

 horse, and a native of South Africa. This animal seems 

 at the first view to be composed of pans of several 

 animals, for its brown body and tail resemble those of a 

 horse, its head and horns those of a buffalo, and its cloven- 

 hoofed feet have the agility of a stag. 



\ 174. The Prong-horned Antelope (Antilope americana) 

 is of the size of a goat, and is found from Canada to the 

 Rocky Mountains. 



\ 175. The Sheep (Capra Ovis) has rough hollow horns, 

 the interna] part of which contains several cavities. It is 

 no longer found wild. Of all animals, the Sheep is the 

 most useful to man. From it we are supplied with both 

 food and clothing. The rearing of sheep is therefore 

 an important branch of rural economy ; one that is 

 very profitable to those landholders who are in pos- 

 session of much uncultivated ground and woodland, and 

 consequently well adapted to the farmers of the West, 

 where pasturage is abundant. The ewe produces one 

 or two lambs ; and in warm climates, twice a year. 

 She can be milked twice a day ; and her milk mixed 

 with that of the cow, makes very good cheese. The 

 month of May is the best time for shearing sheep, for 

 the wool is much cleaner at that time than in sum- 

 mer. One sheep produces about two pounds and a half 

 of wool. The most remarkable races of sheep are the 

 Spanish, English, and Saxon, for their fine wool ; those 

 of Ireland, with four, six, or eight horns ; and those of 

 Arabia, Egypt, and Transcaucasia, with fat and fiat 

 tails. 



§ 176. The Common Goat (Capra Hircus) is princi- 

 pally distinguished from the sheep by a beard on the 

 throat, and by its straight hair. The flesh of the Goat 

 is inferior to that of the sheep ; its hair is of no use, but 

 its skin is manufactured into leather ; and in some coun- 

 tries cheese is made of its milk. 



§ 177. The Angora Goat has long silky hair ; and 

 from the extremely fine wool which the small, but hand- 



