EAR MARKING. II 



practically impossible to unfasten and remove without resorting 

 " to considerable force." 



Another method which is used, but still not so much as the 

 notch or ear tag, is that of "tattooing." (see Illustration.) 



The required number is tattooed in Indian ink or other pre- 

 paration in the ear of the sheep by means of a special instrument 

 called the "Tattooer." Tattooing, if done with care, answers well 

 with some breeds but not all. A clean inside white to the ear 

 seems indispensable, as if the ear is black the readings are very 

 difficult to decipher. Specially well-prepared Indian Ink is 

 necessary, and if plenty of ink is used and the figures well driven 

 home on such an ear as previously described a satisfactory 

 numbering is obtained. It would also be wise to make mistakes 

 absolutely impossible by duplicating the numbers by means of the 

 notching system above described. 



The methods here described are all for permanent marking ; 

 those for temporary marking being chiefly paints of different 

 colours and in various positions. 



The following illustrations supply an excellent plan for 

 numbering the ewes with dots of different coloured paints to 

 indicate numbers. If this plan is adopted the shepherd can dot 

 the lambs to correspond with the ewes, and every week or 

 fortnight they can be properly ear-marked according to the 

 breeders usual custom of marking. 



