The most common breed of sheep now reared in Palestine is the broad-tailed variety. In the north of the country a breed occurs which somewhat resembles the merino, but the other variety is the sheep of the country. The enormous fat tail is used for cooking purposes, for grease, and for lamps. Immense numbers of sheep were reared in Palestine in biblical times, and in some parts of the country this is still the case. The flocks were protected from wild beasts at night by men who watched them with their shepherd dogs. Shepherds still, as of old, go before the sheep, and the sheep follow, being apparently more or less attached to their masters, whose voice they instantly recognize.