THE ANATOMY OF THE SHEEP 367 



difficult. Cotted wool, where the fibers of the fleece on the 

 sheep are closely fastened together so that they can be 

 separated only with great difficulty, is an example of 

 natural felting or interlocking of scales, usually due to 

 sickness and a lack of oil in the fleece. The fleece of sheep 

 on certain limestone lands, especially the Highlands of 

 England and Scotland, is frequently cotted. The scales 

 vary some in size and shape, the Merino having the smallest 

 and the long wooled breeds the largest. The scales are easily 

 seen under a microscope, and especially so if the fiber is 

 treated two or three minutes with a weak solution of caustic 

 potash. The scales in more or less degree reflect light when 

 exposed, giving a special lustre, that on the large breeds, 

 such as the Cotswold, is highly valued. Scales that have a 

 high lustre, give very choice results from the most delicate 

 dyeing operations. In the tropics wool is least developed on 

 the sheep, while in temperate or cold regions, the body is 

 most completely covered by the wool. Naturally, under 

 conditions of domestication, wool production has reached a 

 high degree of development, sheep of the Merino family 

 producing it to the extreme. Cases are on record of Merino 

 fleeces weighing one-third of the total body weight, and 

 single fleeces weighing over 40 pounds for a year's growth 

 have been removed. There is much difference in the wool 

 fiber, ranging from that which is comparatively coarse and 

 straight, to that which is very fine and considerably crimped 

 or serrated. As a rule, the thicker the wool fibers over a 

 given skin surface, the finer it will be in quality. Sheep or- 

 dinarily are free of wool about the face, ears, armpits, udder 

 and legs. Exception to this, however, occurs in the case of 

 certain breeds, as for example the Merino and Shropshire, 

 v/here the face, ears and legs are more or less wooled. 



The foot glands of the sheep are a feature peculiar to this 

 class of domestic animals. A small opening or hole, at the 

 point in front of the foot, where the toes begin to separate, 

 leads into a narrow duct, which expands into a gland. This 

 gland occupies space between the bones just above the heel. 



