268 LOCH C RE RAN. 



look exceptionally wicked and mischievous, but also act 

 up to its semi-demoniac appearance ? " " Just look at 

 those two fellows !" and we note their peculiar expression 

 of wild intelligence, as the small group to which they are 

 attached run through two gates and traverse two 

 supposed fences, as if they were not. See that fellow as 

 he stops and turns on the summit of the rock what an 

 " other world " appearance of extra knowingness there is 

 about it and yet we cannot readily believe there is any 

 real difference except in colour. Just let us suppose, 

 however, that a black fellow arrived in a white family, 

 would he not be looked upon as something uncanny, 

 would he not be inclined to arrogate to himself the 

 claims so willingly accorded, and gradually develop a 

 character which at first might be foreign to him ? Are 

 we sure sheep will not act somewhat similarly, and 

 gradually assert a position in a flock that at first was ac- 

 corded to their abnormal appearance ? For it must not 

 be supposed that because sheep, from their naturally 

 defenceless and timid character, are capable of being 

 controlled by sheep dogs, that they are necessarily less 

 intelligent than these most intelligent of dogs. In a 

 recent article on brains, apropos of Gambetta's, it was 

 remarked that a sheep's brain being larger comparatively 

 than a dog's brain, was an evidence against the supe- 

 riority of large brains over small ! We cannot recognise 

 the value of such evidence, and are inclined to believe in 

 the high intelligence of our Highland sheep at anyrate, 

 and would not be startled to find that they looked upon 

 dogs as specially designed to protect them against foxes 

 and other carnivora, and to keep them from straying into 

 danger. On our way homeward we pass another little 

 demon black fellow, whose leg was broken when a pet, 



