THE SHEEP. 169 



the upper snows, and thus at the same time 

 both irrigates and forces the mountain herb- 

 age, the moufflon and his relations would 

 greedily avail themselves of the rich new pas- 

 ture. This change of diet, through some physio- 

 logical association of causes, has an effect upon 

 the system generally, and especially upon the 

 integument, which occasions a shedding of the 

 wool. Let me say, however, that this view is 

 merely put forward as a suggestion. 



It was probably the fleece which first brought 

 the sheep into captivity, and it is the fleece 

 that is mainly instrumental in keeping him as 

 a servant and dependent. It now grows so 

 abundantly that he needs to be freed by the 

 shears once a -year, or the burden of it would 

 overcome him. Imagine being obliged to wear 

 two suits of winter clothing in July ! 



But both the fleece and the meat, as we now 

 find them, have, of course, been greatly altered 

 by human agency. Those sheep have con- 

 stantly been chosen by breeders which fattened 

 readily or which had the finest and most abun- 

 dant wool. The coarse outer covering of hair 

 disappeared ; although, as might be expected, 

 it occasionally shows itself In the West Indian 



