122 THE SHEEP AND ITS COUSINS 



merinos were subsequently introduced from Spain, 

 with the result that in the course of a century the 

 Rambouillet flock by careful selection was developed 

 into a breed of smooth-bodied sheep remarkable 

 for their large bodily size and the excellence of 

 their wool. The size of the Rambouillet breed is 

 indeed so great that these merinos have been nick- 

 named "elephant-sheep." They have the advan- 

 tage of being much hardier than their Spanish 

 ancestors. Merinos, and especially Rambouillets, 

 have been exported to South Africa, the United 

 States, South America, Australia, New Zealand, &c. 

 The Cape breed appears to be directly derived 

 from the original Spanish stock, and is now the 

 source of the great bulk of the enormous wool- 

 product of that colony, The Rambouillet breed, 

 on the other hand, is extensively kept in France, 

 Germany, Russia, and other parts of the Conti- 

 nent ; and has been largely exported to Australia, 

 Argentina, and the United States. Rambouillets 

 were, however, not introduced into the latter 

 country till 1840, whereas Spanish merinos were 

 imported so early as 1793, and again in 1802. 



Soon after the establishment of the Rambouillet 

 flock an attempt was made by His Majesty King 

 George III. to introduce these sheep into England. 

 At that date the exportation of merinos from Spain 

 was prohibited, except with the sanction of the 

 King, and in 1787 an endeavour was accordingly 



