152 THE MERINO, OR OVIS HISPANICA. 



the South Downs ; their legs are as short as those 

 of tnat breed, a point which merits observation, as 

 they travel so much, and so well. Their shape is 

 very good ; round ribs, and flat straight backs ; and 

 wo**3d be with us reckoned handsome sheep, all in 

 good order and flesh. In order to be still better ac- 

 quainted with them, I desired one of the shepherds 

 to catch a ram for me to feel, and examine the wool, 

 w*;;ch I found very thick and good, of the carding 

 sort, as may be supposed. I took a specimen of it, 

 and also of a hoggit or lamb of last year. In regard 

 to che mellow softness under the skin, which, in Mr 

 Bakewell's opinion, is a strong indication of a good 

 breed, with a disposition to fatten, he had it in a 

 much superior degree to many of our English breeds, 

 to the full as much so as the South Downs, which are 

 for that part the best short-woolled sheep which I 

 know in England. The fleece was on his back, and 

 weighed, as I guessed, al/out 8 Ib. English ; but the 

 average, they say, of the flock is from 4 to 5, as I cal- 

 culated by reducing the Catalonian pound of 1 2 ounces 

 to ours of 1 6, and is all sold to the French at 30s. the 

 pound French. This ram had the wool of the back 

 part of his neck tied close, arid the upper tuft had a 

 second knot by way of ornament ; nor do they ever 

 shear this part of the fleece for that reason ; we saw 

 several in the flock with this species of decoration ; 

 they say that this ram would sell in Catalonia for 20 

 /ivres. A circumstance which cannot be too much 

 lorn-mended, and deserves universal imitation, is the 



