OTTER (or ANCON ) SHEEP. An aberra tion or sport of the ordinary breed of sheep, which by artificial selection became the founder of a distinct breed. Seth Wright, a farmer of Dover, Mass., kept a flock of 15 ewes and one ram. In 1791 one of the ewes produced a male lamb, winch after growing up was reserved for breeding pur poses, the original ram being killed. In the first season "two lambs only were yenned in his like ness," but the number grew, until there resulted a small flock of the strongly marked sport, called `otter breed.' and named `aneon,' by Dr. Shat tuck. from the crookedness of its short fore legs, causing them while walking to appear like elbows. The body was longer than normal, the legs short er and crooked, and the breed appears to have been perpetuated on account of its being less able than ordinary sheep to jump over fences. The interest in this sport is due to the fact that one prepotent sire impressed his peculiarities on his offspring and became the founder of a new breed. When an ancon ewe was mated with a common rain, the increase resembled "wholly either the ewe or the ram." Moreover, frequent
instances happened where common ewes had twins by ancon rains. when one exhibited the complete marks and features of the ewe• the other of the ram. The ancons were observed to keep together, separating themselves from the rest of the flock when put into inclosures with other sheep. This fact is a noteworthy instance both of the results of isolation (q.v.) and of preferential mating. After the introduction of Merinos, which are equally gregarious, quiet. and orderly, the aneon breed became extinct; in fact, it was difficult for Humphreys to procure one in 1813 for dis section by Dr. Shattuck. Without doubt the breed immediately after the above date was bred out or swamped by intercrossing with the ord inn ry breed of sheep. See CROSS-FERTILIZATION; PRE POTENCY. Consult D. Humphreys, On a New Variety in the Breeds of Sheep," in the Philo sophical Transactions of the Royal Society for 1813 (London, 1813).