long coarse wool, which weighs from 3 lbs. to 4 lbs. As 

 the form of this sheep has lately been much improvea, 

 by inducing a short and round carcass, they have ac- 

 quired the name of short sheep, in contradistinction to 

 the Cheviots, which are termed long sheep. When 

 three years old, they fatten well, affording excellent 

 h.ighly-flavoured mutton, and weighing from 10 lb?, to 

 10 lbs. a-quarter. They are the most valuable upland 

 sheep in Britain, abounding in all the western counties 

 of England and Scotland, and are now becoming great 

 favourites in the London market. Fig. 1. PI. IV. 



(16.) The ifcZer«no.— Though many foreign breeds 

 have from time to time appeared in this country, yet 

 almost all of them have been viewed merely as objects 

 of curiosity, and, as such, have speedily been disregard- 

 ed. Far different, however, was the reception of the 

 Merinos. Brought into England under the most fa- 

 vourable auspices, and placed at once under the foster- 

 ing protection of royalty, their native merits could not 

 but be'speedily appreciated and diffused throughout the 

 kingdom. They have received the name of jl/ermo 

 from a peculiar buff or reddish hue of the countenance, 

 and are supposed to have come originally from Africa ; 

 at least Marcus Columella, having seen a strange va- 

 riety from that country exhibited at Rome, during some 

 public games or shows, took them to his farm, and, 

 having crossed them with the breeds of Tarentum, serfL 

 the offspring to Spain. There they throve remHrka-^| 

 bly, attracting the attention of other nations, to whom 

 they were from time to time exported, and at present 

 may be found in almost every part of the world. 



"Merinos were brousrht to En£fla»^'i " uh*- 'Nsi tnue in 



