668 QUADRUPEDS. 



animals, whose mental powers are considered as the most remark- 

 able. Yet they are not absolutely stupid, as they have sometimes 

 befn represented. They are social; the flock follow a ram as 

 their leader ; the leader often displays the most impetuous courage 

 in defence of his followers. Dogs, and even men, when attempt- 

 ing to molest a flock of sheep, have often suffered from the gene- 

 rous valour of the rams. The mutual affection, at least, between 

 the female parent and her progeny, is here sufficiently tender, and 

 well adapted to its purposes. The ewe suckles her lamb with fond- 

 ness ; and though her timidity, weakness, and want of formidable 

 instruments of attack and defence, render her unable to make any 

 powerful opposition to those who seek to deprive her of it ; yet 

 she bleats after it, and for some time laments its loss with the ten. 

 derest complaints. A lamb separated when young from other sheep, 

 fed with milk from the hand, and treated with tenderness and fami- 

 liarity, displays considerable docility, and often forms a strong at- 

 tachment to its benefactors. Admitted to this intimacy with man- 

 kind, it is apt to be guilty of little vicious tricks ; but its mildness 

 and general inoffensiveness of manners, recommend it so strongly 

 to human affection and regard, that it is usually a particular favo- 

 rite of infancy and youth. It often eludes the vigilance of the 

 shepherd, when it wishes to steal some delicacy of food agreeable 

 to its palate. 



The ram becomes able to propagate his kind at the age of eigh- 

 teen months : the ewe is ready to receive the male when a year 

 old. The period at which the ewes are in season for the ram, is 

 between the beginning of September and the end of November ; 

 but if fed in good pastures, or nourished on purpose with stimu- 

 lating food, they will conceive at any time in the year. It is best 

 to permit them to mix with the rams at such a time, that they may 

 bring forth when there is the greatest abundance of grass for feed- 

 ing the lambs produced. In this country, the first lambs usually 

 appear in the beginning of February ; and their number continues 

 to increase, at least till Ma v. The rams and the ewes are to be 

 kept separate, when it is wished that they should not copulate. 



The ewe usually produces only one lamb at a time. There are 

 generally, however, a good many instances of two in a flock ; and 

 on some very singular occasions, one parent will produce three 

 lambs at a birth. It is Observable of this species, that they drink 

 very little. The juice of the vegetables which they eat, and the 



