AGRICULTtTRA.T:. MUSEUM 166. 



Amonfif the stock exhibited, was a jMerino ram, redu- 

 ced almost to a skeleton, by a tedious voyage from 

 Spahi, in boisterous weather, wliich had since served 

 more than one hundred ewes, and was taken from the 

 flock the da}' he was sent fioni Bath. We believe this, 

 circumstance could hardlj'^ be known, and that it was 

 probably the first time a ram was ever exhibited for 

 public inspection at tiiat lime of the year, after serving 

 any number, much less such a flock as one hundred ewes, 

 running with them all at the siime time ; more particular- 

 ly when we include tiie sea voyage, which constantly pro- 

 duces fcvei", un'ul sheep are seasoned to it, and always 

 renders their importation a matter of exceeding difficul- 

 ty ; yet, under all tiiesc disacb/antages, there was a natu- 

 ral tendenc}- in him to lay on flesh and fat, which could 

 n-jt be controuled, together with a breadth of chest, a 

 fulness in the tv/ist, or leg of mutton, and a breadth on 

 the back, exemplifying the symmetry to which these 

 sheep by attention to the frame may be brought; he 

 cleft two inch.es thick of fat on the rump, 



A tame bell-wether, or manso, wa slievvn at the same 

 time, and killed ; he was kept for (he purpose of lead- 

 ing the flock (for no dogs ai"c used in Spain), and always 

 followed the shepherd, feeding from his pocket; so that 

 when he came to thii country, at three years old, this 

 ^heep might have been warranted never to have tasted 

 grass, yet with hard/y a tooth in his head, he brought 

 himself to be good mutton, on grass alone, and was as fat 

 jis need be served at table, or" cat with bread," as the 

 teehnieal term is. The half-bred llyeland, j^nd South 

 Down two tooth wethers, died as well, carrying as 

 much spine fat as was necessary ; and besides what 

 was on the kidncj's, rougii fat, or tallow, in full pro- 

 portion to their age and size ; one of them a small sheep, 

 was judged to carry as much wholesome flesh on the 

 spine, as some sheep would, weighing forty pounds 

 per quarter. 



Several rams, brought ovev with the (lock, ^vere of 



