WOOL-BEARERS OF THE PASTURES. 



187 



when a small group of them give picturesque life to a 

 distant lawn. 



5. The sheep of ancient pastoral life is of a different 



Sheep-washing in Australia. 



sort. It was smaller, more nimble of foot, and hardy of 

 constitution. Its large, hollow horns, long since depend- 

 ing upon the protection of the pastor, or shepherd, seemed 

 at a loss what to do with themselves ; so they have grown 

 downward and curled about like an Alpine horn. These 

 animals love the rocky steeps, and nibble the sweet scat- 

 tered tufts of the mountain-sides. The shepherd boy, or 

 girl, with crook or staff and faithful dogs, are their con- 

 stant attendants. From these groups have originated those 

 delicious pastoral scenes from which the poets have gath- 

 ered the choice substance of their idyls and madrigals. 

 Our pampered and fence-inclosed flocks can give little 

 idea of those charming sketches of pastoral life. 



6. Of the domestic sheep Buffon says : " This species 



