24 AGKICULTUEE. 



in Irish cattle began, we believe, by the introduction of 

 long-horned bulls from the neighbourhood of Atherstone. 

 The rage for short-horns quickly crossed the Irish Channel, 

 and contributed its share to the general progress. Into 

 the mountain districts there has been a large infusion of 

 Scotch Highlanders. We saw lately a drove of some 

 hundreds of small cattle from the county of Down, of 

 which nearly one-half showed unmistakeably the Highland 

 cross, and a few had a touch of the buffalo. We have been 

 told that a resident Irish nobleman has buffalo milking- 

 cows for domestic use. The general result is, that Ireland 

 now supplies a large quantity of very useful second-rate 

 bullocks to the Leicester and Northampton fairs, and fur- 

 nishes beef, quite equal in quality to the average of the 

 United Kingdom, to Liverpool, Manchester, and the sur- 

 rounding district. This comes for the most part in the 

 shape of strong heifers, admirably grazed, and the supply 

 is now continuous through the whole year. 



From cattle we must descend to sheep. The sheep is 

 by nature an animal of the mountain and the wilderness, 

 and the sheep of agriculture is eminently artificial. If we 

 should attempt to reduce the various sorts into races, or 

 even, with one or two exceptions, into breeds, we should 

 find the task far beyond our knowledge and powers. We 

 know that, from time immemorial, a small dingy white 

 sheep, which has had the honour to give a name to the 

 first quality of mutton and of flannel, has existed on the 

 mountains of Wales. Probably these, if any, have a title 

 to the name of Ancient Britons. Very similar were the 

 fleecy inhabitants of the Scotch Highlands till they were 

 superseded, it is said not above 150 years ago, by a black- 

 faced sort from England, which have again been driven 

 from all but their most rugged and inhospitable fastnesses 

 by an incursion of white faces from the border. To the 

 old race, which still exists in Wales, in Orkney, St. Kilda, 

 and in the parks of some Highland lairds, the Portland 

 sheep seems to bear a close affinity. In the hands of 



