144 Quadrupeds. 



THE SHEEP. (Oms Aries.} 



THE Sheep has been so long subjected to the empire of 

 man that it is not known with certainty from what race 

 our domestic species has been derived. It is supposed, 

 however, to be from the Mouflon, or Musmon, of Sar- 

 dinia and Crete. This animal is one of the most useful 

 ever bestowed on us by a bountiful Providence ; and in 

 patriarchal times the number of Sheep constituted the 

 riches of kings and princes. It is universally known, 

 its flesh being one of the chief kinds of human food, and 

 its wool being of great use for clothing. Although of a 

 moderate size, and well covered, it does not live more 

 than nine or ten years. The Ewe has one or two young 

 at a time, and the young one, which is called a lamb, 

 has always been an emblem of innocence. 



In its domestic state it is too well known to require a 

 detail of its peculiar habits, or of the methods which 

 have been adopted to improve the breed. No country 

 produces finer Sheep than England, either with larger 

 fleeces or better adapted for the business of clothing. 

 Those of Spain have confessedly finer wool, some of 

 which we generally require to work up with our own ; 

 but the weight of a Spanish fleece is much inferior to 

 one of Lincoln or Tees Water. Merino, or Spanish 

 Sheep, have of late years been introduced with some 



