THE MANY HORNED SHEEP. 



Generic Characters. 

 Horns twilled Ipirally, and pointing outwards. 

 Eight cutting teeth in the lower jaw, none in the upper, 



Synonim. 



Ovis Polycerata, Linn. Syjt. 97. Be Buffon, xi. tab. xxxi. SuppL Si. p. 73. 



THESE animals are commonly found in Iceland, Mufcovy, and other 

 northern parts. They are flmilar to thofe of England in the form of their 

 bodies, but vary materially in the number of their horns; having commonly 

 four, and fometimes eight, branching out from the forehead. Their fleeces 

 are of a tolerable length, fmooth, and of a fubftance between hair and wool; 

 and beneath the external coat, which falls off at certain periods, is another 

 covering that refembles a fine foft fur. The quantity produced by each 

 animal ufually weighs about four pounds. 



Mr. Pennant has defcribed an individual of this fpecies as having two 

 ered and two lateral horns ; the fore part of its neck covered with yellowifli 

 hairs, that meafured fourteen inches in length ; and the other parts of its 

 body covered with wool. 



The fame gentleman mentions an elegant fpecies brought from Guinea, 

 which was fmall of Mature, but beautifully limbed. Its hair was of the fineft 

 texture, and exhibited a filvery whitenefs; that which fhaded the neck was of 

 a confiderable length. Its nofe was partially marked with a glofly black, 

 each knee and ham was prettily fpotted, and the feet were completely black. 



So evident was the effedt of climate upon this animal, that in the month 

 of November it began to aiFume a foft woolly coat. Its dilpofition, for fome 

 time, was extremely gentle, but it afterwards contracted fuch vicious habits 

 as obliged its owner to fend it to a mountain inclofure, where it died. 



