iSoo. of the County of Northumberland. 427 



«d, this dangerous mode has been feldom praftifed of late years y 

 the park-keeper alone generally fhooting them with a rifled gun, at 

 one fhot. 



" When the cows calve, they hide their calves, for a week or ten 

 days, in feme fequeftered fituation, and go and fuckle them two or 

 three times a-day. If any perfon come near the calves, they clap 

 their heads clofe to the ground, and lye like a hare in form, to hide 

 themfelves. This is a proof of their native wildnefs ; and is corro- 

 borated by the following circumllance, that happened to the writer 

 of this narrativ'e, who found a hidden calf, two days old, very lean, 

 •and very weak. On ftroking its head, it got up, pawed two or 

 three times like an old bull, bellowed very loud, retired, a few fteps, 

 and bolted at his legs with all its force. It then began to paw a- 

 gain, bellowed, ftepped back, and bolted as before ; but knowing its 

 intention, and ftepping afide, it miffed me, fell, and was fo very weak 

 that it could not rife, though it made feveral efforts : But it had 

 done enough ; the whole herd were alarmed ; and coming to its ref- 

 cucj obliged me to retire ; for the dams will allow no perfon to 

 touch their calves, without attacking them with impetuous ferocity. 



*' When any one happens to be wounded, or grown weak and 

 feeble through age and ficknefs, the refl of the herd fet upon it, 

 aad gore it to dektli." 



A very full account of the flieep hufbandry of the county 

 is given, p. 153. etfeii. They are clafled under three diftinft 

 heads ; viz. the Cheviot, the Heath Jheep, and the Long-ivoolled 

 breed. Drawings of a ram of each breed are prefented j but 

 we have been informed that fome of them are not correct. In 

 fpeaking of the heath Iheep, it is faid — ' 



** The breeders of this kind of fheep on the fouth-wefl corner of 

 the county, are very confident that they are a much hardier fieep than 

 the Cheviot breed ; and, upon their high-expofed heathy mountains, 

 where there is very little green herbage, much more profitable ; while 

 the Cheviot farmers affert, that theirs are equally hardy, and that 

 the greater value of the fleece gives them a decided fuperiority. 

 Wc have before ftated, that the fincnefs of wool is net a proper cri- 

 terion by which the merits of a breed of fiieep are to be determined. 

 It can only be done by fair experiment, in which all the circum- 

 ftances of the cafe are included. But we do not find that this has ever 

 been done by either party ; and though it is only opinion againfl 

 opinion, yet both parties are fo pofitive, that they are ready to quar- 

 ■ itlwith any perfon who happens to exprefs an opinion bf his owjj. 

 I'OL. i. NO. IV. N n Wq 



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