ORDER RUMINANTIA. 27 



wrist ; the tail short ; appears to be a distinct 

 species. It inhabits the rocky countries of the 

 whole of Barbary, and M. Geoffroy has ob- 

 served it in Egypt. 



It is from the Mouflon, or the Argali, that we are 

 supposed to derive the numerous races of our 

 woolly animals, which, next to the Dog, seem most 

 subject to vary. 



We have them in Europe with common wool, 

 in size large or small ; with horns, large or small, 

 without horns in the female, and in both sexes with- 

 out. The most interesting varieties are those of 

 Spain, with fine crisp wool, large spiral horns 

 in the male, and of England with fine and long 

 wool. A variety begins to spread throughout 

 Europe. 



The most extended variety in southern Russia has 

 a very long tail ; those of India and of Guinea, 

 which also have the tail long, are J distinguished by 

 their long legs, convex forehead, pendant ears, 

 and by the absence of horns and short wool. The 

 north of Europe and of Asia has almost everywhere 

 small sheep, with a very short tail. 



The race of Persia, Tartary, and China, has the 

 tail entirely transformed into a double globe of fat, 

 that of Syria and Barbary has it, in truth, long, but 

 also charged with a suety mass of fat. In both, the 

 ears are pendant ; the horns thick in the rams, mo- 

 derate in the other sex and in the lambs, and the 

 wool mixed with fur. 



Sheep are everywhere valuable for the flesh, suet, 



