184 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



do this, although it is very useful as a temporary marking ; nor 

 is pitch favoured by the wool buyer. The ear is the best place, 

 and it lends itself to the purpose in several ways, such as tattooing, 

 slitting, and punching. Tattoo punches prick through the skin, 

 and leave an impression similar to the pattern of the punch, so 

 that when coloured matter is rubbed in it becomes permanently 

 fixed. Numbers, or any special design, can thus be placed on the 

 sheep. Slits or nicks on the edge of the ear can be made to indicate 

 anything, according to the code the farmer may adopt. A nick 

 on a certain side of a particular ear may be made to indicate the 

 ram by which the sheep was got, and the year it was got. As 

 there are two ears with two edges, and as three or four nicks may 

 be made on either side, there is sufficient scope to meet the necessi- 

 ties of a large flock. One or more holes may be punched in the 

 ears to identify sheep. In pedigree flocks buttons with studs 

 to keep them in place are used : these are placed in holes previously 

 punched through the ear, and as any number or design can be 

 stamped on them when being made, an easy method of keeping 

 a record is obtained. The number should be recorded in the 

 flock -book. In the case of pedigree flocks, the buttons should be 

 made to close in such a way that they cannot be removed or used 

 on a second occasion. A strip of soft metal is often used, the 

 ends of which are inserted through two slits in the ear, and then 

 turned so as to prevent slipping out. Numbers can be stamped 

 on these to identify the sheep. 



Sale and Purchase. In previous chapters remarks have been 

 made on points to be looked for in handling a sheep, and on the 

 necessity of making even drafts when offering them for sale. There 

 remain, however, a few points which may well be dealt with. 

 So many animals now pass through the auctioneers' hands that 

 there is little doubt farmers have lost some of the skill they possessed 

 in estimating the weight of their sheep when they more frequently 

 sold them to the butcher. Butchers realise that they can buy 

 cheaper from the auctioneer than from shrewd owners, and naturally 

 purchase from the former. On the other hand, the farmer is sure 

 of prompt payment from the auctioneer, whereas the butcher 

 was not always ready to pay on the deal. He, however, pays the 

 auctioneer pretty heavily for the accommodation. It is a recog- 

 nised axiom that animals always show themselves better on the 

 farm than when tired and jaded in the market. 



Selling is effected in several ways, by auction, upon legs, by 

 live weight, or by dead weight. When sold by auction the farmer 

 pays a percentage on the sale. " Upon legs " is a term used to 

 denote they are bought as they stand, as when sold from the fold ; 

 a lump sum being given for the sheep as they are, with no deduc- 

 tions or additions. When sold by live weight they are disposed of 



