96 SKETCHES OF RURAL AFFAIRS. 



turned upwards, and bushy like that of the fox ; the 

 colour of the animal is black, more or less mixed with grey 

 or brown. When well trained, this animal is the most 

 tractable and obedient of creatures. A very good judge 

 of rural affairs has said, that the temper of a shepherd 

 may soon be discovered by that of his dog : "When you 

 observe an aged dog making a great noise, bustling about 

 in an impatient manner, running fiercely at a sheep and 

 turning him quickly, biting at his ears and legs, you 

 may conclude, without hesitation, that the shepherd 

 who owns him is a man of hasty temper. Most young 

 dogs exhibit these characteristics naturally, and they 

 generally over-do their work ; and if you observe a shep- 

 herd allowing a young dog to take his own way, you 

 may conclude that he also is a man who loses his tem- 

 per with his flock. If you observe another shepherd 

 allowing his dog, whether old or young, to take a range 

 along the fences of a field, driving the sheep within his 

 sight as if to gather them, you may be sure he is a lazy 

 fellow more ready to make his dog bring the sheep to 

 him, than to walk his rounds amongst them. Great 

 harm may accrue to sheep by working dogs in these 

 ways." * 



This sensible writer goes on to show the effect of al- 

 lowing the dogs to worry the sheep ; how it takes them 

 off their food, and makes them run to the farthest cor- 

 ners of the field as soon as they hear the voice of the 

 dreaded animal ; how it overheats the lambs, and is 

 often the cause of serious injury to the ewes ; how much 

 more liable sheep, so worried, are to break loose, and 

 give trouble to the shepherd, than such as are treated 

 in a gentle manner. He then gives an admirable pic- 

 ture of a shepherd and dog each fulfilling his proper 

 duty, which we thus abridge for the benefit of the 

 reader. A temperate shepherd never disturbs his sheep 

 when he takes his rounds amongst them at morning, 

 noon, and night ; his dog following at his feet as if he 

 * Stephens. 



