154 THE TREATMENT OF BOEDER 



week until lie is no longer required, liis wages being from 18s. 

 to £1, Is. per week, with board and lodging in the farmer's 

 house, or sometimes it is more convenient for him to sleep at 

 the shepherd's. 



During the first few days of the season few ewes lamb, and at 

 night there is little to be done in the way of watching. Where 

 two lambers are employed, it is usual to divide the night, one 

 watching until twelve and then going to bed, when the other 

 herd takes his place until morning. At this part of the season, 

 it will only be necessary for the shepherd to go through the 

 ewes every hour, although after the first week his duties will 

 come much more quickly upon him. When sitting up at night 

 a good fire should be kept burning, and we have found by 

 experience that a little hot coffee is not out of place. 



AVhen the shepherd goes out a lantern is indispensable, and the 

 glasses should be well protected with wire Letting, as they 

 frequently receive a kick from a ewe's foot, which is apt to 

 break the glass and extinguish the light when it is most required. 

 In approaching the lambing court at night one should be 

 careful to hold the light o^eadily, as any sudden movement is 

 apt to cause the ewes to jump all over each other with fright, 

 which is very bad for them. With a little care at first they will 

 become quite accustomed to the presence of the lamber. It is,, 

 indeed, wonderful, to see how quiet the ewes will lie after a few 

 nights, allowing the lamber to step over their backs as he goes 

 his rounds. The half-bred ewes are not usually so quiet as the 

 Leicester and three-parts bred ewes. 



On entering the lambing court the attendant should quietly 

 raise his lantern and look round, when he will soon notice 

 whether anything is going on. Frequently the first signs he 

 gets are the cries of the ewe, which at this time have a different 

 tone, easily distinguished after a little practice. In fact, after a 

 few nights, on approaching the lambing court in the quiet dark-^ 

 ness, by listening to the cries of the ewes, it is often possible to 

 tell not only whether any ewe is lambing, but also what stage 

 she is in. Let us take a quiet walk through the lambing court. 

 Carefully threading our way amongst the ewes, which lie quietly 

 ruminating as they stare up fearlessly at the lamber and his 

 light, we come upon a ewe standing up. Her appearance at 

 once tells us that she has just begun to feel the first pains of 

 labour, and when this is the case we pass on knowing that at 

 present she requires no assistance. But now we come upon a 

 ewe stretched out in one of the corners, lying upon her side 

 without the least struggle, only her hard breathing and panting 

 sides showing that she is alive, and the tongue protruding from 

 the mouth, telling us that she is almost exhausted. As this ewe 

 is approached she will not endeavour to rise, but will lie quietly 



