GENUS OVIS. 129 



sheep a beast of burden ; it is not uncommon how- 

 ever here. In this case, they were the bearers of 

 their master's food, and were natives of the northern 

 part of the mountains, a larger race than the common 

 animals of the hills. They are used for trade, and 

 are made to carry grain from a fertile to a less happy 

 quarter. They travel with surprising quickness, and 

 are kept together without the least trouble. No 

 four-footed animals but goats and sheep could be used 

 for such a purpose in any part of the mountains ; and 

 the former being too apt to roam, perhaps the latter 

 are the only ones that could be safely turned to such 

 account."* 



Mr Wilson also remarks, on the authority of Dr 

 Gillies, that in some of the districts of South Ame- 

 rica, the children use tame sheep as ponies, on which 

 they ride to school, f 



Four or five animals are now ranked as distinct 

 species of sheep, one of which, at least, we find a 

 native of each continent. In nearly every case the 

 wild breeds are subjected, though they retain their 

 outward characters, while the different cross breeds 

 and cultivated varieties have been distributed to other 

 provinces and continents ; and there are few districts 



* Skinner's Excursions in India, 2d edit. vol. ii. p. 73. 



f- Wood was formerly so scarce at Buenos Ayres, and 

 cattle so plentiful, that sheep were actually driven into the 

 furnaces of lime kilns, in order to answer the purposes of 

 fuel. A decree of the king of Spain, prohibiting this bar- 

 barous custom, still exists. History of Fossil Fuel and Coat 

 Trade of Britain. 



1 



