70 THE SH REP. 



the milk and curd of the rein-deer make their chiet 

 provision ; and, in autumn, they live wholly upon fowls, 

 which they kill with a cross-bow, or catch in snares. Nor 

 is this so scanty an allowance ; since, at that time, the 

 sea-fowls come in such abundance, that their ponds and 

 springs are covered over. These are not so shy as with 

 us, but yield themselves an easy prey. They are chiefly 

 allured to those places by the swarms of knats which 

 infest the country during summer, and now repay the 

 former inconveniencies, by inviting such nnmber of birds 

 as supply the natives with food a fourth part of the year, 

 in great abundance. 



THE SHEEP, 



In its present domestic state, is at once the most useful, 

 and the most defenceless, of animals. Destitute of every 

 quality necessary for self-preservation, they endeavour to 

 fly without swiftness, and to oppose without courage or 

 strength. These feeble efforts only serve to provoke the 

 insults of their enemies ; the dog pursues the flock with 

 increased delight on seeing them fly, and attacks them 

 with less fear, not suspecting any attempts at resistance. 

 In short, the sheep derives its whole safety from man ; 

 aud must now rely on that art for protection, to which it 

 originally owed its degradation. 



In its servile state, the >heep is not only void of all 

 means of defence, but it appears the most innocent and 

 stupid of all animals. Its physiognomy indicates no traits 

 of cunning or courage, of attachment or reserve. The 

 better it is fed, the more dull and sluggish it becomes ; and 

 in fact, all the changes that have been effected on this 

 animal, and all the pains that are taken with it, tend as 

 much, or more, to the benefit of man, than to its own. 



In many parts of the Alps, however, and in some 

 provinces of France, where the sheep are penned every 

 night to secure them from the wolf, they evince a degree 

 of docility and obedience to their keeper. When the sun 

 declines, he sounds his pipe, and they follow him, 

 apparently pleased with his pastoral music ; thi> u realizing, 



