Page 347 - Travels in Arabis (Vol I)

308 TRAVELS IN OMAN. [CH.

they are fed on dates, or fish, either fresh or
salted.
Goats abound throughout Oman, but sheep

are scarce, and usually of a black colour, and
small size; but as they are mostly fed on aro­

matic herbs, of which there are great abun­
dance, their flesh is sweet and well flavoured.
The tail, though larger than that of the Eu­

ropean breed, is less ponderous than those
brought from the African shore. The Arabs

do not castrate either sheep or goats, but
destroy the generative principle in the male
by means of a tight ligature.

With the exception of fowls, which are
abundant and cheap, the Arabs of Oman

have no domestic poultry. Game is scarce:
the only water-fowl I saw there during
my stay were some wild ducks, of the Anas

bosckas variety, and not in the slightest de­
gree fishy. Doves, plovers, and pigeons are

very numerous, but the Arabs never trouble
themselves with killing them. Quails, the
common brown, or Desert partridge, and a

species of pheasant, are found in great abun­
dance on the plains. The tenor of the Mo­

hammedan law places a great restriction on