THE SHEEP. 43 



Disposition Manners. 



raent, and for the most essential part of our 

 clothing. 



This animal is singularly inoffensive, and dis- 

 covers less animation and sagacity than many 

 other quadrupeds ; but the Comte de Buffon has 

 been guilty of injustice in describing it as " des- 

 titute of every necessary art of self-preservation, 

 without courage, and even deprived of every in- 

 stinctive faculty." On extensive mountains where 

 numerous flocks range at liberty, and, generally 

 speaking, independent of the shepherd's aid, they 

 exhibit a very different character ; and a ram or 

 a wether has been frequently seen to attack a 

 dog, and to come off victorious. When the dan- 

 ger is more pressing they have recourse to the 

 collective strength of the whole, drawing up into 

 a compact body, and presenting to every quarter 

 an armed front, which cannot be attacked with- 

 out the most serious danger to the assailant. It 

 has also been observed, that few quadrupeds 

 evince greater sagacity than the sheep, in the se- 

 lection of its food ; and its acuteness of percep- 

 tion in regard to the approach of a storm is no 

 less remarkable. 



The varieties of this useful animal, are so nn-r 

 merous, that no two countries produce sheep ex- 

 actly of the same kind; an obvious difference 

 subsisting in every breed, either in the size, the 

 shape, the fleece, or the horns. 



No country produces finer sheep than Great 

 Britain, where the breed has been greatly iin- 



