420 THE SHEEP OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



deal out of the poor sheep. However, we hope matters are 

 mending in this respect. 



Herdwicks are active, sprightly animals, with a good deal of 

 wild nature about them ; thus, ewes which have been sold have 

 been known to jump the most impracticable fences near lambing 

 time, and to travel almost incredible distances, in order to lamb 

 in their old haunts ; and if one should happen to lamb on her 

 way home it does not delay her long, as the lamb is soon on its 

 feet, and once on them, can travel nearly as fast and as far as its 

 mother. They are very good managers, too, in hard weather or 

 snow, as they will, if they have warning, make for the exposed 

 places, where they are not likely to be drifted up, and afterwards 

 scratch down till they reach the grass ; but sometimes a thick, 

 soft, heavy snow comes on so suddenly that they are drifted up 

 almost unawares, and in this state of being literally buried alive 

 they have been known to live for three weeks, and, after being 

 taken out, recover and do well, their only subsistence having 

 been what they could reach from where they lay. 



A Herdwick is very much attached to its own " heaf," or that 

 part of the fell where it generally goes ; and in a large stock a 

 shepherd depends chiefly upon this peculiarity for knowing that 

 all his charge is right, mentally dividing the fell into certain 

 tracts, within which he expects to find certain sheep. In spite, 

 however, of this general tendency to stick to the ground, a certain 

 amount of straying does of course take place, and, as there are 

 no fences, often to long distances ; on this account meetings are 

 held about twice a year on fixed days at certain places, where 

 men who have lost and men who have found sheep attend, and 

 there is a general clearing. A " shepherd's guide " is published, 

 which contains the sheep marks of all the different farms, with 

 illustrative woodcuts. The "marks" consist of "ear marks," a 

 tar letter or letters on one side, and another mark generally made 

 in red, but sometimes in tar, on some other place ; in addition 

 also a mark is occasionally burned on the face. At rutting 

 time the tups fight a great deal, and instances are not unknown 

 where the shock of meeting has been fatal to both combatants. 



In hard weather hay is taken up the fells in sheets on men's 

 backs, but, unless accustomed to it as hogs, the sheep will almost 

 starve before eating it. 



