CHAPTER II 



THE ZOOLOGICAL POSITION AND STRUCTURE OF 

 THE SHEEP 



The sheep Is a member of that group or family of 

 ruminants typified by the ox (Bos), and hence 

 termed the BovidcB or ox-like family. It represents, 

 however, in that family a perfectly distinct genus, 

 for which Linnaeus adopted the Latin name Ovis} 

 Of that genus the domesticated sheep of Europe, 

 the Ovis aries of Linnaeus, constitutes the typical, 

 but by no means the only, species ; for there are 

 several kinds of wild sheep, some of which differ 

 so markedly from tame sheep and their nearest 

 relatives, as to be regarded by many naturalists 

 as the representatives of distinct genera. 



In addition to cattle, or oxen, goats, and sheep, 

 the family Bovida includes antelopes, chamois, 

 musk-oxen, &c., all of which possess the common 

 character that the horns take the form of hollow 

 horny sheaths surmounting conical or compressed 



' As the mcMnings attached by naturalists to the terms "family," 

 "genus," "species," &c., are fully explained in my work on The Ox 

 and J is Kindred {i<)\2), to which the present volume forms a com- 

 panion, they need not be repeated. It will also be unnecessary to 

 give the full characters of the larger groups of which the Boviti'a- 

 form a section. 



