THE MERINO, 



vated in Spain. It is distinguished from the Bri- 

 tish breeds, by bearing wool on the forehead and 

 rheeks. The horns are very large and ponderous, 

 and convoluted laterally. The wool is fine, long, 

 joft, and twisted, in silky-looking spiral ringlets, and 

 having a large proportion of natural oil, to which the 

 dust and other impurities adhere, gives a dingy and 

 unclean appearance to the animal, which conveys 

 an idea of inferiority, but which is immediately re- 

 moved when the unsullied pureness and fineness of the 

 wool is seen on separating it. The make of the Me- 

 rino is not so symmetrical as some of our British 

 breeds, and there is a loose skin hanging from the 

 neck, which detracts from its appearance. Many 

 different breeds exist, hut the best is supposed to be 

 those of Cavagne and Negrote. These are kept 

 during the winter in particular districts of milder 

 climate, and are travelled to other districts to he 

 shorn, and again removed to the most favourable 

 grazing stations. The Pyrenean races are rather 

 more hardy, but yield a remarkably fine wool ; they 

 are cultivated to a great extent, and in a particular 

 manner, which we find detailed by Mr Young in the 

 Annals of Agriculture : 



" On the northern ridge, bearing to the west, are 

 the pastures of the Spanish flocks. This ridge is 

 not, however, the whole; there are two other moun- 

 tains quite in a different situation, and the sheep 

 travel from one to another as the pasturage is short 

 or plentiful. I examined the soil of these mountain 



