222 THE SHEEP AND ITS COUSINS 



sheep which was at one time reared in Cape Colony 

 in considerable numbers may either have been 

 introduced by the natives from Namaqualand or 

 transported by sea from Guinea. It appears to 

 have differed in no important feature from the 

 typical representative of the group. 



In Persia long-legged sheep of the Guinea type 

 appear to have been crossed with the indigenous 

 black-headed fat-rumped breed, and thus given 

 rise to a hybrid stock which displays its African 

 parentage in respect of its large bodily size and 

 general appearance, but in the presence of fatty 

 cushions on the rump and in colouring exhibits 

 equally marked signs of affinity with its Asiatic 

 ancestor. 



In addition to the typical long-legged breed, 

 Guinea is also the home of a closely allied sheep 

 (pi. XV. fig. 2) distinguished by the presence of 

 lappets or tags on the throat, and for this reason 

 regarded by Fitzinger^ as a hybrid between the 

 former and the under-mentioned Congo long-legged 

 sheep. It is further characterised by the larger 

 size of the ears and the smaller development of 

 the horns in the rams. These sheep appear to 

 be always parti-coloured, the markings generally 

 taking the form of large yellowish or reddish brown 

 or black blotches and patches on a dirty white 

 ground ; the distribution of the markings being 



' Op. a'/., p. 217. 



