Il8 MODERN SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



the other hand, their losses never induce poverty upon them. Their 

 hospitality is unbounded- and sincere. 'Go,' said an estatesman to 

 a friend of Mr. Warner's, whom he had entertained for some days ; 

 'go to the vale on the other side of yon mountain, to the house of 

 such an estatesman and tell him you come from me. I know him 

 not, but he will receive you kindly, for our sheep mingle upon 

 the mountains/ " 



An English writer says that when the Herdwicks of the 

 West Cumberland mountains are allowed a taste of the sweeter 

 herbage of the enclosures or of the turnips in severe weather they 

 will perform astonishing feats of leaping and daring to obtain 

 a repetition of the treat and thai they will wade streams and 

 watch incessantly for a gap in the wall or an open gate. They 

 will exercise considerable cunning and commit their depredations 

 by night only, never showing the slightest disposition to encroach 

 during the daytime, but when morning comes they are invariably 

 found in their proper location on the mountain. 



The Herdwick is an inveterate climber and it has been said 

 that it will go where even goats fear to tread. Better proof of its 

 climbing abilities cannot be given, perhaps, than the half-tone 

 illustration showing these hardy little mountaineers in their na- 

 tive haunts, used in connection with this sketch. The photograph 

 from which this half-tone was made was taken on the farm in 

 Eskdale, Cumberlandshire, owned by a brother-in-law of Mrs. W. 

 W. Burch, wife of the publisher of the American Sheep Breeder, 

 to whom my thanks are due for its use. 



In "Crag and Hound in Lakeland" C. E. Benson says in re- 

 gard to the Herdwick: "Given the opportunity the Herdwick 

 will show himself as big an ass as his congener, the Southdown 

 wether. Foule Crag is still very fatal to sheep. From the bulk 

 of the mountain several ledges run out on to the crag, gradually 

 diminishing in breadth as they get farther from their base, until 

 they finally disappear in the rock face. Along these the Herdwick 

 crops his way in pursuit of the meager pasturage until he reaches 

 a point where it is impossibly to go further and for a sheep to 

 go back. So there he has to stay until he is rescued or is blown 

 over or falls from exhaustion. In the case of rescue the shepherd 

 has at least learned that it is advisable to take a companion and 

 a rope, otherwise the grateful animal will assuredly do its best to 

 kick or shove him off." 



A peculiar circumstance is recorded of a strain of Herd- 

 wicks in a certain locality with fourteen ribs. 



KERRY HILL STTEEP. 



A well-known Canadian importer and breeder of Lincoln 

 sheep, who spends a good part of his time in our western states, 



