312 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



having mixed at any former period. The notion of the 

 Chabin may have arisen from the sight of sheep, partly 

 clothed with hair, and partly with wool, a breed not un- 

 common in Northern and Western Africa, from whence it 

 may have been transported for live stock on board the 

 slave ships to America, and preserved for curiosity or for 

 want of better stock. 



If the Caprine genus be endowed with a more indelible 

 impression of its primitive characters, with more confidence 

 and familiarity, a greater spirit of independence, combined 

 with an elasticity of temperament fitted for all climates and 

 soils, so as to render it an earlier associate of man, during 

 the first dawnings of civilization, and cause it to mul- 

 tiply by his care in woods and swamps ; the Ovine, though 

 more timid, and when domesticated, more helpless and 

 delicate, must have become the most important acquisi- 

 tion, especially in the colder climates of the earth, as 

 soon as the state of society and of the region would suffer 

 its propagation. At first, no doubt, it was without wool, 

 but certain parts of Asia have a natural tendency to pro- 

 long the fur of animals ; even of Carnivora and Rodentia. 

 It is there, we might conjecture, that the Wild JEgagrus 

 lengthened and refined its short hairy covering into that of 

 great length and the finest texture, and the newly-domes- 

 ticated Argali first put forth the under down of its fur 

 to obliterate the setaceous hair, and assume the fleece. 

 The high western basin of Cantal Konti, or Cachmere, 

 the secondary valleys of ancient Taurus and Caucasus, the 

 Chorassan and Caramania, and at length, the environs 

 of Angora, or central basin of Asia Minor, about the 

 sources of the Halys and Sakaria, may be considered as 

 the favoured nurseries from whence the improved fleece- 

 bearing animals have gradually spread over the rest of the 

 world. It was at the foot of Caucasus that Jason obtained 

 his celebrated spoils. 



