32 BULLETIN 94, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



marked improvement in the piney-woods sheep of the South wherever 

 used. The largest number of purebred flocks are to be found in 

 Indiana. 



In Arizona, at the agricultural experiment station, Tunis bucks 

 proved superior to those of other mutton breeds, notably the Oxford, 

 Shropshire, Dorset, and Hampshire, for crossing upon the native 

 ewes. They had excellent range qualities, were very prolific, and 

 exhibited a tolerance to heat and a resistance toward the sheep bot 

 fly unequaled by any of the other breeds. The rams were active, 

 repelling the bot flies, and were more fertile than those of other 

 breeds under the conditions mentioned. The cross resulted in larger 

 and earlier lambs and a longer staple of wool, though not as fine as 

 the native Merino ewe. The Tunis seems especially adapted to the 

 climatic conditions of this region, which resulted in the mortality of 

 a large number of the rams of other breeds, and bids fair to become 

 quite popular in this State. 



The Tunis is a rather small, rangy, early-maturing breed, rams 

 weighing about 150 pounds in breeding condition. Ewes should 

 weigh 120 pounds or better. The type of this breed is not very well 

 fixed. Both sexes are hornless; the head is covered with short hair, 

 tawny, yellow-brown, or brown and white in color. The ears are 

 large and broad and pendulous. 



In mutton qualities, the Tunis has a fair form, though mature 

 sheep are somewhat patchy about the tail head, and the mutton is of 

 good quality. The tail is characteristically broad and fat, it having 

 been used for a storehouse where fat was stored in times of plenty 

 to carry the animal over periods of famine. The fleece is of the 

 medium wool type, compact and of fair quality, though it varies 

 somewhat in color. A good fleece should weigh from 7 to 9 pounds. 

 It usually grades quarter blood and three-eighths blood combing. 



The breed has been criticized for being somewhat light in the leg 

 of mutton and patchy about the tail head when mature. 



The American Tunis Sheep Breeders' Association organized June 6, 

 1 896, at Fincastle, Ind. The headquarters of the breed are at Craw- 

 fordsville, Ind. They have registered 2,530 head of sheep up to Jan- 

 uary 1, 1914. The following is the scale of points adopted by this 

 association: 



Points. 



Blood: Imported from Tunis, or a perfect line of ancestors extending back to the 

 flock owned and bred by Judge Richard Peters, of Pennsylvania 20 



Constitution: Healthful countenance; lively look; head erect; deep chest; libs 

 well arched; round body, with good length; strong, straight back; muscles fine 

 and firm 15 



Fleece: Medium length; medium quality; medium quantity; color white, some- 

 times tinctured with gray; evenness throughout 10 



Covering: Body and neck well covered with wool; legs bare or slightly covered; 

 face free of wool and covered with fine hair 10 



