Ch. XXXIX. I ON SHEPHERDS. 479 



clement weather, he has arduous duties to perform, whicli must be frequently 

 executed during the night, and on most occasions when not under superin- 

 tendence ; the property under his care is also generally valuable, and always 

 demands constant attention. In the words of one well acquainted with 

 his duties — " He should be honest, active, careful, and, above all, calm- 

 tempered ; for if he at any time get into a passion with his sheep, he not 

 only occasionally injures them, but acts at great disadvantage both in 

 herding them and in working among them. A good-tempered man and a 

 close-mouthed dog will effect the desired object with half the time and 

 trouble that it gives to the hasty and passionate one." He should, there- 

 fore, be in every respect a trustworthy person, in whom the most entire 

 confidence can be placed : he should consequently be furnished with a 

 comfortable cottage, and such other advantages as may render him attached 

 to the interests of his master ; among which, perhaps, none will be found 

 more conducive to his care, than allowing a small per-centage on the 

 proceeds of the flock to form a portion of his wages. The shepherds are, 

 indeed, in this country, not uncommonly allowed to have a certain portion 

 of the flock belonging to themselves, they paying a portion of the expenses 

 of their feed ; but when this is permitted, it is often found that the shepherd's 

 stock is the best, and the accidents fewer than those of the master. The 

 inconvenience, as well as petty frauds, which the plan has occasioned, 

 have indeed been so loudly complained of, that it has been prohibited, 

 under severe penalties, in Prussia and some other States of the Continent. 

 This, however, must be partly attributed to the fault of the master, for 

 where a farmer does his duty, he cannot be cheated without detection : as 

 shown in the management of Mr. Sellar's extensive flock in Sutherland- 

 shire. 



His flock-sheep are all branded in the face with an ear-mark; but 



< no shepherd being allowed to possess a branded sheep, those belonging 



to them are easily distinguished. They are scattered over the whole of 



the farm ; each shepherd herding not his own alone, but part of the 



whole of each shepherd in his service. The sortings and sales are all 



done publicly ; and if any shepherd is found to have, on any herdino-, 



fewer or more lambs, or less or more casualties than the master or his 



neighboui's, an inquiry follows, and any dishonest attempt occasions 



dismissal. 



The Shepherd's dog performs so prominent a part in the security and 



management of the flock, that, although so well known as not to need 



description, he ought not to be left entirely unnoticed. In this countrv 



there are two species; one commonly used in England, and the other — the 



shag-haired "colly" — in the extensive sheep-walks throughout the northern 



parts of the island. Both however appear equal in sagacity; and, when 



well trained, the promptitude and skill with which the faithful animal obeys 



the orders of his master, render him atrulv valuable acquisition. In driving 



the sheep, he is, however, taught to bite at them ; and, although this is not 



often done in such manner as to seriously injure, it yet terrifies them so 



much that heavy ewes have been thereby known to slip their lambs. M, 



Lasteyrie describes a breed as peculiar to the care of sheep in Prussia, of 



small size, but stout and thick, with erect ears and shaggy coats, bearinn- 



some resemblance to our wolf dogs ; but, instead of biting the sheep when 



ordered to call in stragglers or to turn them from the road, thev are 



instructed to push them forward with their muzzles. The dogs, also, 



which guard the Spanish migratory flocks never bite, and are so gentle 



that, in cases of impending danger, the sheep gather round them for 



