548 THE SPANISH, OR MERINO SHEEP. 



presenting its owner with three lambs at a birth. One instance is on record of a wonderfully 

 prolific ewe. She had hardly passed her second year when she produced four lambs. The 

 next year she had five ; the year after that she bore twins ; and the next year five again. On 

 two successive years she bore twins. Two out of the four and three out of the five were neces- 

 sarily fed by hand. 



We will now advert shortly to some of the principal breeds or varieties of the Sheep. 



THE SOUTHDOWN, which is figured at the commencement of this article, affords a good 

 example of the short-wooled breed of domestic Sheep, and is valuable not only for the wool, 

 but for the delicacy of the flesh. This breed derives its name from the extensive Southern 

 Downs ; a range of grass-clad chalk hills which pass through Sussex, Surrey, and Kent, in 

 England. These downs are covered with a short, sweet herbage, which is of great service in 

 giving to the flesh of the animal its peculiarly delicate flavor. Multitudes of tiny snails are 

 found upon almost every foot of the down-turf, and are thought by many agriculturists to be 

 very efficacious in fattening and nourishing the animal. By careful crossing and good man- 

 agement, the horns of the Southdown Sheep have been abolished, and the vital energies which 

 would have been expended in developing these appendages, are directed to the nourishment 

 of the body and wool. 



This valuable breed of Sheep is not confined to the southern downs of England, but has 

 penetrated to every part of the island where the soil and grass are suitable for its welfare. 

 The Wiltshire downs swarm with these Sheep, which have covered their entire extent with 

 an elaborate interlacing system of Sheep-paths, understood by themselves, but very obscure to 

 human senses. Other parts of England are also in possession of the Southdown Sheep, which 

 is often crossed successfully with some local breed. Indeed, this polled or hornless variety 

 has superseded every horn-bearing breed throughout the kingdom, wherever it can find a 

 habitable locality. In Scotland and elsewhere, the Southdown would not be able to live, as it 

 is of too delicate a nature to withstand the severity of the terrible highland winter ; so that the 

 original horned breed still holds its place. 



The Wiltshire Sheep have lost their horny armatures by continual crossing with the South- 

 down, and the result is that a remarkably fine variety has been produced, possessing greater 

 dimensions, a lighter color, and a finer fleece. 



OWING to the very great number of the domestic varieties of the Sheep, amounting to nearly 

 thirty distinct breeds, it will be impossible to give more than a mere outline of the most impor- 

 tant among them. An example of the long-wooled variety is found in the LEICESTER SHEEP, 

 under which general title are grouped six or eight sub- varieties of the same breed. This 

 animal favors low-lying, level pasturages, and is not so fond of elevated spots as the Welsh 

 and Southdown. The most celebrated breed of Leicester Sheep is that which is known as 

 the Dishley breed. 



OF all the domestic varieties of this useful animal, the SPANISH, or MERINO SHEEP, has 

 attracted the greatest attention. 



Originally, this animal is a native of Spain, a country which has been for many centuries 

 celebrated for the quantity and quality of its wool. The Merino Sheep, from whom the long 

 and fine Spanish wool was obtained, were greatly improved by an admixture witli the Cots- 

 wold Sheep of England, some of which were sent to Spain in 1464, and the fleece was so 

 improved by the crossing, that the famous English wool was surpassed by that which was 

 supplied by Spain. 



The Merino Sheep is but of little use except for its wool, as, although its mutton is suffi- 

 ciently good when fattened, it consumes so much food, and occupies so much time in the pro- 

 cess of ripening, that it is by no means a profitable animal. The Merino is larger in the limbs 

 than the ordinary English Sheep, and the male is furnished with large spiral horns. The 

 female is generally hornless, but sometimes possesses these appendages on a very small scale. 

 It is liable to bear a black fleece, the sable hue continually making its appearance, even after 



