Sheep Worrying. 133 



and rubs himself on the grass, and is found at home in the 

 morning as clean and tidy and unconcerned as if he had 

 been all night in his kennel, or sleeping at the foot of the 

 straw rick." 



The same writer considers that, as a rule, the sheep dog 

 perpetrates these crimes for mere amusement, and this may 

 be so in some few instances, but even where the same dog 

 kills three or four lambs in a single night, he will have 

 regaled himself with a small bonne bouche from the carcase 

 of each, as well as lapping a good proportion of their blood. 

 Then, again, some of the sheep may have been smothered 

 by being huddled up in a heap together through fear, or 

 may be, the dog becomes alarmed, and, like the disturbed 

 thief, bolts without being able to profit by his plunder. 



Another little story bearing on this unsavoury subject, 

 and I have done. An angling friend of my acquaintance 

 (the late Mr. G. F. Braithwaite, of Kendal, author of some 

 charming papers on fishing matters), told me that one day 

 he was walking along the road to get to the banks of the 

 river Lune, near Tebay, accompanied by a farmer, who had, 

 of course, his shepherd's dog at his heels. Another shep- 

 herd's dog, unaccompanied, came trotting along the road, 

 and the two collies fraternised by wagging their tails 

 and smiling, for dogs can smile, and rubbing their noses 

 together. Mr. Braithwaite noticed something peculiar 

 about the friendship of these dogs, so stopped, and was 

 surprised to see the one alone go on its way, whilst that 

 with his friend turned back and set off in the direction from 

 which the strange dog had come. 



" Why ! What means this ? " said the fisherman, " Your 

 dog has gone home ! " " Nay, nay/' replied the farmer, 

 " that dog as came to us has been feedin' on a dead sheep 



