246 Some Circumstances relative to Merino Sheep. 



both these opinions, M. Lasteyrie, a French writer on sheep, 

 who lived many years in Spain, and paid diligent attention 

 to the Merino sheep, entirely agrees : he also tells us, that 

 the Cavafia of Negrete, from whence the sheep imported by 

 his majesty in the year 1791 were selected, is not only 

 one of the finest piles, but produces also the largest-carcased 

 sheep of all the Merinos. Mr. Burgoyne agrees with him 

 in asserting, that the piLes of Paular, Negrete, and Escurial, 

 have been withheld from exportation, and retained for the 

 royal manufactory of Gaudalaxara, ever since it was first 

 established. 



The Cavafia of Paular consists of 36,000 sheep. It origi- 

 nally belonged to the rich Carthusian monastery of that 

 name, near Segovia ; soon after the Prince of the peace rose= 

 into power, he purchased the ilock from the monks, with 

 the land belonging to it, both in Estremadura and in Leon, 

 at a price equal to twenty French franks a head, \6s. 8d. 

 English. All the sheep lately arrived are marked with a large 

 M. the mark of don Manuel. 



The number sent from Spain to the king was 2000, equal 

 to two subdivisions of the original Cavafia. To make the 

 present the more valuable, these were selected by the shep* 

 herds from eight subdivisions, in order to choose young, 

 well-shaped, and fine-woolled animals. This fact is evident, 

 from the marks which are placed on eight different parts of 

 the bodies of the sheep nowat'Kew. 



The whole number embarked was 2,214; of these, 214 

 were presented by the Spaniards to some of his majesty's 

 ministers, and 427 died on the journey, either at sea or on 

 their way from Portsmouth to Kew. His majesty was gra- 

 ciously pleased to take upon himself the whole of the loss, 

 which reduced the royal flock to 1573; several more have 

 since died. As the time of giving the ram in Spain is 

 July, the ewes were full of lamb when they embarked, se- 

 veral of them cast their lambs when the weather was bad at 

 sea, and are rendered so weak and infirm by abortion, that it 

 is much to be feared more will die, notwithstanding the great 

 care taken of them by his majesty's shepherds. A few have 

 died of the rot. This disease must have been contracted by 



halnncr 



