which contribute to keep the creature warm and comfortable, at a season of the year when cold and piercing winds may be expected, in so northern a latitude.

From the fpirited meafures which are now taking to preferve this valuable breed, we are led to hope, that British wool may in time regain that great fuperiority for which it was once fo famous; and that, by perfeverance and attention to this important object, we may in time be enabled to produce not only as fine wool as can be obtained from any other country, but may alfo, in the fame breed, be able to conjoin with it every other defirable peculiarity, fuch as clofeness of fleece, beauty and utility of form, hardiness, a capability of being eafily fattened, largeness of size, and other valuable qualities, adapted to every peculiarity of fituation in these islands.

* See the Report of the Committee of the Highland Society, on the subject of wool, 1789.

THE DUNKY, OR DWARF SHEEP, another variety of the Sheep kind, deferves to be noticed for the fingular and grotefque formation of its features. The wool, growing round its head, forms a kind of hood or ruff; before which ftand its fhort erect ears: The uncommon protrufion of its under jaw confiderably before the upper, by which the fore teeth are left expofed, and the shortness of the nose, which lies under its high projecting forehead, altogether give it the appearance of deformity, and make a striking contraft to moft animals of the Sheep kind. The Ram, from which the drawing was made, came from abroad, with two Ewes, as a prefent to a gentleman in the county of Northumberland. They are very fmall, and have no horns.-In Lincolnfhire, there is a fmall kind, mentioned, by Mr Culley, under the name of Dunkies; which we suppose to be the fame with this.

THE TARTARIAN SHEEP.

The Sheep, of which the annexed cut is an accurate reprefentation, feem to be the fame with thofe defcribed, by Mr Pennant, under the name of the fat-rumped Sheep. A pair of them was brought to this country, by way of Ruffia, from the borders of Tartary. They are rather larger than the English Sheep. The colour of the male is roan, or light-brown mixed with white; that of the female, black and white: Their ears are pendulous; and, instead of a tail, they have a large protuberance of fat behind, which covers the rump. When the drawing was made, they had just been fhorn; at other times, the wool is fo long and thick, that their form cannot be well diftinguished.

The fat-rumped Sheep abound in Tartary; and are annually fold, in great numbers, into Ruffia. They are very prolific; and ufually bring forth two at a time, often three.

The African or Guinea Sheep are found in moft of the tropical climates. They are large, ftrong, and swift;

with coarse hairy fleeces, fhort horns, pendulous ears; have a kind of dew-lap under the chin, and though domefticated, feem to approach nearest to a state of nature.

THE MANY-HORNED SHEEP.

The Iceland Sheep, as well as those of Mufcovy and the coldest climates of the North, refemble our own in the form of the body, but differ in the number of their horns, having generally four, and sometimes eight, growing from the forehead. Their wool is long, smooth, and hairy: They are of a dark-brown colour; And, under the outward coat of hair, which drops off at stated periods, there is an internal covering resembling fur, which is fine, short, and foft;-the quantity produced by each Sheep, is about four pounds.

The broad-tailed Sheep, common in Perfia, Barbary, Syria, and Egypt, are remarkable chiefly for their large and

heavy tails, which grow a foot broad, and fo long, that the fhepherds are obliged to put boards with fmall wheels under them, to keep them from galling. The flesh of these tails is esteemed a great delicacy: It is of a subftance between fat and marrow, and eaten with the lean of the mutton: They generally weigh from twenty to fifty pounds each.

The Sheep, bred on the mountains of Thibet, produce wool of extraordinary length and fineness, of which is made the Indian fhawl, frequently fold in this country for fifty pounds or upwards.

THE WALACHIAN SHEEP.

In Walachia, they have Sheep with curious spiral horns, ftanding upright, in the form of a fcrew; long fhaggy fleeces; and, in fize and form, nearly resembling ours. They are also found in the island of Crete, and in many of the islands of the Archipelago. This is faid to be the Strepficheros of the ancients.