Climate definitely influences the hairy covering of animals; in the West
Indies a great change is produced in the fleece of sheep, in about three
generations. Dr. Falconer states (23/31. 'Natural History Review' 1862 page
113.) that the Thibet mastiff and goat, when brought down from the Himalaya to
Kashmir, lose their fine wool. At Angora not only goats, but shepherd-dogs and
cats, have fine fleecy hair, and Mr. Ainsworth (23/32. 'Journal of Roy.
Geographical Soc.' volume 9 1839 page 275.) attributes the thickness of the
fleece to the severe winters, and its silky lustre to the hot summers. Burnes
states positively (23/33. 'Travels in Bokhara' volume 3 page 151.) that the
Karakool sheep lose their peculiar black curled fleeces when removed into any
other country. Even within the limits of England, I have been assured that the
wool of two breeds of sheep was slightly changed by the flocks being pastured
in different localities. (23/34. See also on the influence of marshy pastures
on the wool Godron 'L'Espece' tome 2 page 22.) It has been asserted on good
authority (23/35. Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire 'Hist. Nat. Gen.' tome 3 page
438.) that horses kept during several years in the deep coal-mines of Belgium
become covered with velvety hair, almost like that on the mole. These cases
probably stand in close relation to the natural change of coat in winter and
summer. Naked varieties of several domestic animals have occasionally
appeared; but there is no reason to believe that this is in any way related to
the nature of the climate to which they have been exposed. (23/36. Azara has
made some good remarks on this subject 'Quadrupedes du Paraguay' tome 2 page
337. See an account of a family of naked mice produced in England 'Proc.
Zoolog. Soc.' 1856 page 38.)
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