LESSER KNOWN BREEDS OF SITREP 387 
province of North Africa bordering on the Mediterranean 
sea. Much of the land is hilly. The fat-tailed sheep 
living in the upland region of the province are called 
Tunis sheep. 
They are generally hornless; face and legs of a yellow- 
brown or tawny color; a few are brown or mottled brown 
and white. The tail is broad, being five to ten inches 
wide, and is usually docked to about six inches. The 
ears are large, broad, pendulous and covered with fine 
hair. The fleece is soft, fine and fairly compact, about 
three inches long, and varies in color. One may have a 
fleece almost white, another reddish, and another mottled. 
Mature specimens weigh 120 to 150 pounds. 
The origin of the Tunis breed is unknown. The type 
has no doubt existed in Tunis for centuries, and also 
in the adjoining sections of North Africa. Similar fat- 
tailed sheep are found in Syria and are supposed to be 
derived from a variety of the primitive race bred by the 
patriarchs and the early shepherds of Palestine and ad- 
jacent lands. 
The introduction of Tunis sheep to America is said to 
date back to 1779, when the Bey of Tunis allowed General 
Wm. Eaton, then United States Consul at Tunis, to ship 
to America several ‘‘ broad-tailed Barbary or Mountain 
Tunis sheep.”’ Only one pair reached the United States. 
These were placed in the care of Judge Richard Peters, 
on his farm near Philadelphia, where they did well and 
increased in numbers. The original ram was afterwards 
used on the farm of General Hand, in Lancaster county, 
Pennsylvania. In 1807 or 1808, another importation 
was made by Commodore Barron of the United States 
navy. These were bred in Virginia and the District of 
Columbia. In 1825, another importation was made, 
