tH A<i^RICUt,TURAIi MUSEUI4 



thick skins present the greatest chance of protection. l»i 

 is impossible to avoid dwelling on this subject ; it ife 

 most interesting to the pubJic, for the mischief is sudden- 

 ly caused, and most extensive when it dees occur. 

 There is an instance in the course of last autumn, of a 

 flock of Cheviot wethers, rotted on the rich pastures of 

 the vale of Aylesbury, whi»Ii were bred on the Carter 

 Fell, perhaps the highest, and certainly the wettest oi the 

 Cheviot hills ; but thought to be incapable of rotting 

 sheep, wet as it is, because a noiihern climate forbids a 

 rapid tloaty %^egetation. Another instance occurred of 

 a flock of South-Down ewes running in a gentlemdn'a 

 park, which died as they dropped their iambs : Qa boirg 

 questioned by the author, if these sheep had depasture*! 

 during last autumn on a part of the park lying beyond x 

 lake of water, (which lake stands somewhat above the 

 level of the land) the proprietor admitted the fact, and at 

 ©nee saw the reason of the calamity. A farmer in the 

 western part of Somersetshire, lost a whole flock of the 

 Bampton ewes, which is a breed of she<'p in size and 

 quality of wool, much resembling the new Leicesters> 

 •with which they have long ago been crossed, n^erely by 

 their feeding one night on a wet common adJM>ming his 

 lands; all of them died as they dropped their lambs. — - 

 Whether the disorder was a rot in the liver, or whether 

 it was the red water or dropsy, does not occur to my 

 memory, but the fact is well known. 



In hot and rainy summers, 1 have seen these sheep re- 

 moved by the owner^ and without any delay, from high, 

 but rich upland pastures, into drier land. Tlie caution 

 used in this case, made a strong impression on the au- 

 thor's mind ; because this farmer is one of the best 

 judges ofshcep any where to be found, and had carried 

 this breed to great perfection ; and because this cautioa 

 was productive of rauchinconvenience atthe time. Few 

 breeds ofshcep, in tliis kingdom, are exjioscd to sucli se- 

 verity of climate and keep, as the Cheviot hhcep ; the 

 healthy properties al (■ of the South Dowr.s, are too well 

 ki^owu to need debcriptiotL Similar instances; alnaosli 



