NATURAL HISTORY. 177 



and to oblige them to change their situation, they 

 must have a chief, who is intrusted to walk first, and 

 whom they will follow step by step. This chief will 

 remain with the rest of the flock, without motion, in 

 the same place, if he were not driven from it by the 

 shepherd, or the dog which guards them, who, in fact, 

 watches for their safety, defends, directs, and sepa- 

 rates them, assembles them together, and communi- 

 cates to them motions not their own. Goats, which 

 in mcny things resemble sheep, have much more 

 understanding. 



But this animal, so cowardly in itself, so destitute 

 in sentiment, is the most precious and the most useful 

 of animals, both for the present and future support of 

 man. Of itself, it not' only supplies our greatest ne- 

 cessities, but, at the same time furnishes us both with 

 food and clothing. Without enumerating the parti- 

 cular advantages we have from the milk ; the skin, 

 and even the bowels, the bones, and the dung of this 

 animal evince that nature has given it nothing but 

 what is useful to man. 



These simple animals, are also of a very weak con- 

 stitution; for they cannot walk long; travelling weak- 

 ens and exhausts them ; and when they run, they 

 pant, and are soon out of breath. The great heat of 

 the sun is as disagreeable to them, as too much mois- 

 ture, cold and snow. They are subject to many dis- 

 orders the greatest part of which are contagious ; too 

 much fat sometimes kills them, and always p'revents 

 thorn from having young ones. They suffer a great 

 deal in having young, have frequent abortions, and 

 require more care than any other domestic animal. 



At one year old, the sheep lose the two front teeth of 

 the lower jaw ; and almost every one knows that they 



VoL I. Y 



