. The sheep and its cousins . Sheep. FAT-TAILED AND LONG-TAILED SHEEP 183 have bred there ever since.^ The tail is usually docked at an early age, and the horns of the rams have been eliminated by selection. These sheep attain considerable bulk, rams weighing 150 lbs. or more, and ewes about 120 lbs. Although they produce good fleeces, the variable colour detracts from the value of the wool; and these sheep are mainly esteemed for the excellent quality of their mutton, their early breeding, and their fecundity. Their prolific nature is indicated by the fact that twins are comparatively common,
. The sheep and its cousins . Sheep. FAT-TAILED AND LONG-TAILED SHEEP 183 have bred there ever since.^ The tail is usually docked at an early age, and the horns of the rams have been eliminated by selection. These sheep attain considerable bulk, rams weighing 150 lbs. or more, and ewes about 120 lbs. Although they produce good fleeces, the variable colour detracts from the value of the wool; and these sheep are mainly esteemed for the excellent quality of their mutton, their early breeding, and their fecundity. Their prolific nature is indicated by the fact that twins are comparatively common, and that, under favourable climatic and other physical conditions, the ewes will breed twice a year. Flocks of Tunisians are also maintained in South Africa and Australia. The Egyptian fat-tailed sheep, which is nearly allied to the Tunisian and Moroccan breeds, is of interest on account of being the ordinary domesticated sheep of Egypt during the Pharaonic period. In the existing breed the ears are partially pendent, and the horns of the rams do not, according to Dr. Fitzinger,^ """"MXi" ^'"^ attain a large size, generally forming only about one-half of a complete circle. In mummified skulls from Egypt, such as one de- ' C. S. Plumb's Ty/ies and Breeds of Farm Animals, p. 423. * Op. cit., p. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915. London : G. Allen
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1912
