t i6o ] 



tion, in any country where more than one indivi- 

 dual breed is to be found; and it is next to im- 

 pofTible to preferve a Jmall number of fheep of a 

 particular breed uncontaminated, for any length of 

 time, in a country where other fheep abound.* 

 Indeed, the intermixture in this cafe is fo unavoid- 

 able, and fo frequent, that it feldom happens but 

 the very appearance and diflinguifhing peculiari- 

 ties of the new breed are, in a few generations, 

 entirely loft among the fuperior prevalence of the 

 greater number. f From this circumftance it muft 



ever 



* The following fad relating to this fubje6l fhews not only the ar- 

 dour, but the vigour of this little animal at the rutting feafon. A 

 patriotic nobleman in Scotland had obtained a particular breed of 

 deep that he wifhed to preferve uncontaminated. With this view he 

 put them at the rutting feafon into a deer park that was furrounded by 

 a very high wall, which it was fuppofed no Iheep could overleap ; but 

 in fpite of this, and every other precaution that could be adopted, the 

 careful fhepherd difcovered one morning a ram of the fort common in 

 that neighbourhood, that had got among his fine ewes. This occa- 

 fioned great uneafmefs. The ram was immediately taken up, and 

 though it was known that he could mot have been longer than one 

 night among the ewes, my informant afTured me he had the bell au- 

 thority for faying, that at the yeaning time it was difcovered that no 

 fewer than eighty ewes had been tupped by that ram ; the lambs of that 

 breed being dillinguifliable at the firft glance from the others. 



•j- It will be eafily perceived, that from this event always taking place, 

 mankind, who feldom are very accurate in their obfervations, may, in 

 general, be readily difpofed to look upon this very fa<5l as a proof of 

 the influence of climate in altering the wool. As the ftrange breed of 

 ihcep foon acquires, in tliis cafe, the fame qualities with the original 



breed, 



