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Oji Sheep afid their Diseases. By Joseph Capnef^ of 



Flemington, New Jersey, 



Read September 8th, 1807. 



Flemington^ June 6th, 1807.' 

 Sir, 



Agreeably to your request, I will give you any in- 

 formation, according to my abilities and observations, 

 on those useful animals, — sheep. 



As I am in the habit of killing what sheep I have to 

 spare, and of selling to my neighbours, I have had a 

 good opportunity of viewing their internal complaints, 

 they are, 



1st, The worm in their head. The smallest size which 

 I have observed, is less than a cheese skipper, about one 

 inch up the nose, creeping about in the mucilage ; as 

 they grow, they creep higher up, and when fully grown, 

 they lie as high up as the cavities will admit. I have 

 seen as many as twelve or fifteen, great and small, in 

 one head, but commonly only two. I suppose they are 

 produced from a bee, that frequents the walks in sheep 

 pasture, much resembling those bees, but of a less size 

 which pester horses in summer, and deposit nits on 

 their hair. I call them the sheep bee; but where they 

 deposit their eggs, whether externally or internally, I 

 know not. They first begin to be troublesome about 

 the time the honey bees swarm. 



I know of no cure. The method I follow to prevent 

 the complaint, is to smear the noses, and up to the eyes 

 of the sheep, with tar. This practice seems to have a 

 l^ood effect upon a sheep, for about one month, and on- 



