Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-11-19

CURIOUS SHEEP-At the regular meeting of
the New York Farmers Club held last week
Mr.. L. A. Morrell, of Western New York,
read the following paper:
FATTAILED AND FAT-RUMPED SHEEP
In response to the request of our inteli-
gent and ever-present member, Dr. Smith.
that | would furnish some information to
the club in regard to fat-tailed sheep, L
herewith most cheeriully comply to which l
will add another unique breed, namely, ia
rumped.
From the earliest times of which we have
any authentic accounts, the fat-rumped sheen
has inhabited the countries over which the
patriarchal shepherds roamed. 1t is but
little known in Africa, but abounds extern
svely in the north and south OF Asia, is
found in Palestine in greater numbers than
any other breed and reaches far il to the in
terror and northern parts of Russia. 1t is
purest in the deserts of Great Tartary, no
ofher being near to contaminate it's blood
DR.. Anderson, the traveller, gives the fol-
lowing account of this singuarly formed
breed: 1.-The fiocks of all the Tartar hordes
resemble one another by having a large yel-
low muzzle, the under jaw often projecting
beyond the upper, long hanging ears, and
hOlbS vi tlC dOuib ldulS ItiDR large, sDfTdI,
wrinkled, angular, or bent in crescent form.
They have slender legs in proportion to their
bodies, a high chest, and tolerably fine wool
mixed with hair. The body of the ram, and
sometimes of the eve, swells gradually with
fat towards the posteriors. where a solid
mass OF fat is formed on the rump, and falls
over the anus in place of tail, divided into
two hemispheres, which take the form of the
h h,ttf Of H.
to be felt with the finger This breed often
weigh two hundred pounds, and are the
largest Of the un:mproved sheep, of which
weight the soft, oily lat alone that forms on
the rump amounts to from twenty to forty
pounds. 10 the neighborhood of Caucasus
and Taurida the headquarters of the sheep
are sailed as hams, and sent in great quaint
ties to the northern provinces of Turkey.
In parts of Russia the fat-rumped sheep
bears a somewhat fine fleece, but generally
speaking it is coarse, and is adapted only for
he purposes of inferior manufactures.
FAT-TAILED SHEEP.
This race of sheep is more extensively diff
used than the tat-rumped, it being found
throughout Asa, great part of Africa, as
'eil as the northern part Of Europe. MIR
Russell, an English traveller, gives the follow
my account OF 1t as it appears IN Syria
IT, The dead weight OF these sheep is from
fifty to sixty pounds, of which the tail makes
up fifteen to sixteen pounds, the tail alone
comprising one-thlrd of the whole weight
lhls broad, fattlsh tail is mostly covered
with long wool. and becoming very small al
the extremity, turns up. 1t is entirely com.
posed OF substance between marrow anG
at, serving very often In the kitchen instead
IF butter, and cut into small pieces, makes
an ingredient in various Dishes Animals o.
this extraordinary size Zone hundred and fifty
pounds) are, however, very rare, and KEEP
up In yards, 60 as to be 10 little danger o
hurting their tails from the bushes. The
shepherds IN several places in Syria fix &
thin piece Of board to the under part, which
is not, like the rest, covered With wool. anc
to this board are sometimes added small
wheels; whence, with little exaggeration
we have the story of the Oriental sheer
being under necessity of carts to carry thei
calls. But the necessity of carriages for tn,
tails of the African sheep, mentioned BY
Herodotus. Rudolphus, and others, is real
The tails OF that animal when fat actual,
trails, not being tucked up like those of tn,
; Syrian sheep" A distinguished writer OF
D sheep suppOses the broad or fat-tailed sheer
e merely variety of the fat rumped tb
: strange collection of adipose matter havln,
/ only shifted its situation from the posterio
e part OF the haunch to the superior part O
e the tail. This may have been at first acci
e dental. and perpetuated by accident or de
: sign. An individual of this unique bree
e OF sheep saw few days since in Prospec
: Park, Brooklyn. the tail, however, severe
s iof half its natural length, and very ungainl
: in its general structure. In closing, | vii
o mention another curiosity, and to me per
: iect anomaly, VIZ, hybrid being cross
e the common red deer and sheep. Both be
long, it is true, to the order ruminantia, bu