186 Scientific Intelligence. — Zoology. 



ing, verifying the rule which I laid down, long before I saw these 

 specimens, that to insure a pure and perfect breed of fine-woolled 

 sheep, it is absolutely necessary to preserve the two species of these 

 animals entirely separate, and not to mix the merinos with the 

 common sheep of the country, as is too often done in the United 

 States. 



If any American sheep-breeder still entertains a latent doubt as 

 to the soundness of this rule, he is invited to inspect this collection, 

 to have passed, separately, in review, the specimens from the various 

 sheepfolds, aud particularly to notice that this is not a collection of 

 picked locks, from those parts of the animal where the wool is usually 

 the finest ; but that in order to afford the greatest facility of judging 

 of the sheep from the wool, samples are given from all parts of the 

 body, the shoulders, the withers, the back, from under the belly, the 

 tail, and the legs : let these be carefully examined, and they will be 

 found to be all wool ; not a hair to be found upon those parts of 

 the sheep where the impure race commence shewing hair. 



I consider this uniformity and entirety of fibre as an unerring test 

 of purity of blood ; and therefore cannot but regard Saxony as an 

 example, upon a large scale, and worthy of being followed, of the 

 perfection of sheep-husbandry. 



It will be recollected that I have heretofore shewn, by actual ad- 

 measurements with the microscope and micrometer, that as fine wool 

 can be produced in the United States as in any part of the world ; 

 there is therefore no deficiency in climate or soil ; all that the 

 American agriculturist requires is to procure a pure breed, and to 

 preserve them uncontaminated by spurious crossings. To obtain the 

 former, I proffer free inspection of my cabinet, where there will be 

 found samples of all the varieties, with references to the sheepfold 

 from which they can be supplied, and even the number of the sheep 

 whose wool is there exposed to view. 



In connection with this part of the expose, I ask particular atten- 

 tion to this suite of specimens from the Manor of Obermylaw, near 

 liechenbach. It will be recollected that the principal objection to 

 the Saxo-merino sheep has heretofore been, that the staple is short, 

 and consequently that the clip must be light ; but these specimens, 

 while they exhibit the maximum fineness, have a staple so long as 

 to obviate entirely this objection. This variety of Saxon wool has 

 not, so far as I know and believe, been before brought to this country, 

 nor have the sheep from which it was taken, made their appearance 

 in the United States ; but it must be borne in mind, that as they 

 are only a variety of the merino, the American planter and farmer 

 may, by proper care and attention, produce it here, or he may im- 

 port these very sheep, and by due management preserve the integrity 

 of their fleece. 



Upon the whole, therefore, I submit to you, gentlemen, that his 

 Majesty the King of Saxony has conferred a singular favour upon 



