t 167 ] 



In the London market, it was found, Upon a fair 

 Comparative trial, to be finer than the Spanifh, in 

 the proportion of nearly feven to foilr. Stockings 

 have been made of it in Aberdeen that were fold for 

 five and fix guineas a pair; and at this prefent time 

 many pair of (lockings are m^de of it each year in 

 Zetland, which, though not delicately manufactured 

 nor properly drefifed, but merely on account of the 

 finenefs and peculiar/^»^ of the materials, fell in 

 the Ihops at fifteen and fixteen fliillings a pair. The 

 fheep of this breed are for the moft part entirely 

 white, but fome of the fame fort are of a dun, or 

 fawn colour, fome black, but a greater proportion 

 of a beautiful filver grey, with a fine glofify luftre. 

 Many of them have been much debafed by an in- 

 termixture with a very coarfe wooled fort of (heep, 

 which carries a great quantity of dry brittle hairs 

 among the wool. This kind of hair, I am told, is 

 in fome places of England called hemp. 



It will perhaps be a difficult matter to recover a 

 pure unadulterated breed of this kind of fheep; 

 yet I (hould not think it altogether impofTible. In 

 fome of the fmall iflands they may perhaps be found 

 very pure ; for in thofe parts the natives have fo 

 entirely negledled their fheep as not to have unin- 

 tentionally debafed their breed, under the idea of 

 improving it. Perhaps the eafieft way of recovering 



that 



