246 THE SHEEP AND ITS COUSINS 



As regards the date of the first introduction of 

 tame sheep into South Africa, there is no available 

 information ; practically all we know is that sheep 

 of the long-legged breed were kept in Egypt in 

 pre-Pharaonic times, and that these were succeeded 

 by a fat-tailed breed. There can, however, be 

 little doubt that in very early times Africa received 

 the ancestors of all its peculiar breeds from Asia by 

 way of Syria and Egypt, although at a later date there 

 may have been importations into North Africa from 

 Spain and other countries in the south of Europe, 



To a great part of South America sheep were 

 first introduced by the Spaniards, who probably for 

 the most part imported the best strains of their 

 native merinos. If, however, this was invariably 

 the case, climatic influences have in many instances 

 greatly modified the original type. In Paraguay, for 

 instance, the native sheep are much smaller than 

 merinos, with short coarse wool, while the flesh is 

 generally of poor quality, deficient in flavour, and 

 nearly white in colour. Flocks of from 100 to 1000 

 head were at one time common, and the wool was 

 both spun into yarn and woven into ponchos. 

 From its dampness and warmth the climate is, 

 however, ill suited to sheep, and large numbers 

 perish from foot-rot and other diseases. 



In Peru the original breed of sheep is un- 

 doubtedly of the merino stock, and has departed 

 less widely from the Spanish type than is the case 



