40 THE SHEEP. 



off once a year, and the hair remaining, preserves the creature 

 from the piercing winds of that northern region. 



The breed of English sheep has, by the persevering attention 

 of Mr. Bakewell, of Dishley, in Leicestershire, been exceed- 

 ingly improved ; and his example has been successfully followed 

 by many eminent breeders. The improved Leicestershire breed 

 is now in the greatest esteem in most parts of the kingdom, and 

 almost all the principal breeders endeavour to introduce some 

 mixture of it into their stock. Its superior qualities are princi- 

 pally those of fattening quickly, and carrying the greatest weight 

 of mutton upon the smallest proportion of bone. 



From these circumstances, we readily conceive the beneficial 

 effects of those improvements whioh have been made in our 

 sheep, as well as our horses and horned cattle, and consider the 

 importance of that respectable body of men, the English farm- 

 ers, to whose spirited exertions, and skilful management, this 

 country owes, under Divine Providence, the number and excel- 

 lence of those flocks and herds, which range over our hills, en- 

 liven our plains, and constitute an inexhaustible source of plenty 

 and wealth. 



THE TARTARIAN SHEEP. 



Tartary produces a breed of sheep somewhat larger than those 

 of this country. The colour of the ram is brown, mixed with 

 white, and that of the ewe, black and white. Their ears are 

 pendulous, and instead of a tail, nature has furnished them with 

 a large protuberance of fat. These sheep abound in Tartary, 

 and great numbers of them are annually sold into Russia. 



The African, or Guinea sheep, are found in most of the tro- 

 pical countries. They are large, strong, and swift, with short 

 horns, pendulous ears, and coarse hairy fleeces. 



THE MANY-HORNED SHEEP. 



The sheep of Iceland, Russia, and otlrer cold regions of the 

 north, resemble ours in the form of their bodies, but differ from 

 them in having a number of horns, some having four, and others 

 eight. Their wool is long, and intermingled with hair, and their 

 colour a dark brown. 



THE WALLACHIAN SHEEP 



Have long spiral horns, standing upright, in the form of a 

 screw. They resemble those of this country in size and shape, 

 and have long shaggy fleeces. They are also found in Crete, as 

 well as in many isles of the Archipelago.' The broad-tailed sheep, 

 common in Persia, Syria, Barbary, and Egypt, are remarkable 



