250 THE SHEEP AND ITS COUSINS 



The sheep first introduced by the Spaniards into 

 Colombia were not merinos, but the ordinary churro 

 Spanish breed, commonly known as the sheep de 

 lana burda y basta. They were soon bred in vast 

 numbers on the Cordillera, at elevations of from 

 3000 to 7000 feet above sea-level. With the 

 possible exception of a slight diminution in size, 

 these sheep seem to show no appreciable modifi- 

 cation from their original type. Well as they 

 flourish in the highlands, they are, however, very 

 difficult to maintain in the hot valleys and plains. 

 Here, unless the lambs are shorn at an early period, 

 a remarkable change takes place in the nature of the 

 coat. Unless this is done, the wool becomes loose 

 and falls off in large patches, while on the bare hide, 

 which shows no sign of disease, there grows, instead 

 of wool, shining and close-lying hair, very similar 

 to that of the goats of the same region ; this hair 

 never being replaced by wool. In the opinion of 

 Dr. Fitzinger, this change, which was recorded by 

 Roulin, indicates that these Colombian sheep are 

 hybrids between the churro and the West Indian 

 long-legged sheep, but it may apparently be due 

 merely to climatic influences. 



North America received its sheep to a great 

 extent through the British, but in part also through 

 the French, and most of the British and French 

 breeds are to be met with in various parts of 

 the United States and Canada, where merinos are 



