The word caracul has been adopted from the Turkish and signifies black-eared.
Thousands of the kids are also dyed black and worked into cross-shaped pieces, in which shape they are largely exported to Germany, France, Great Britain and America, and sold by the retail as caracal, kid or caracul.
With the public the general term astrachan is an old one, embracing all the above curly sorts; the flatter kinds, as broadtail and caracul lamb, have always been named separately.
The so-called caracul lambs, size 12 X6 in., are the very young of the astrachan sheep, and the pick of them are almost as effective as broadtails, although less fine in the texture.
See also remarks as to caracul kid under Goats, above.