lS2 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



Before the reiyn of Alexander Severus silk 

 and cotton were unknown, and the Romans 

 wore nothing but woolen garments; they liked 

 them fine and were ready to jmy high 

 prices for them. In order to im- 

 prove the wool of the Taran 

 to sheep they imported 

 animals from Africa, 

 which the)' crossed 

 with their own, thus 

 obtaining a \'ei'y 

 fine, soft wool. To 

 these the)' addetl 

 sheep from Anda- 

 lusia and Cordox'a 

 in Spain, and from 

 Piilenta in Ital\-, 

 which were already 

 famous fur the fine 

 texture of their black 

 or dark brown fleece 



Ovid, who de\'otes to sheep 

 certain verses full of gratitude, 

 tells us how the}' were valued not onh' 

 for their wool but also for their milk 

 and flesh. Ne\'ertheless the Merinos and their 

 ancestors ha\'e alwa)'s been shee]i for wool 

 rather than for butcherint;'. Ancient breedei's 



A i\Ii:Kixo Sui'-Ki 



paid little attention to the conformation of their 

 bodies for butcher's meat ; the production of 

 fine wool was the only thing they really cared 

 about. Italy has never been a mutton- 

 eating country ; even to this day 

 the servants of a household 

 object to it as food. 

 The origin of the name 

 ' Merino " bears a re- 

 lation to the origin 

 of the sheep them- 

 selves. They came 

 by sea {mcr) to 

 Spain, but nothing 

 definite is known 

 about their coming. 

 Th eir ancestors 

 probably came, in 

 part at least, from 

 Africa, Spain ha\'ing 

 always held active inter- 

 course with that continent, as 

 is shown by the settlement of the 

 Moors in the south of Spain, with their 

 industries, their agriculture, and their 

 knowledge of breeding, in which they attained 

 great proficienc}'. On the other hand, there 

 are some reasons that allow us to think that the 



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aaSSI 



Shetland Sheep 



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