46 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description, Sue. 



THE MANY-HORNED SHEEP. 



THESE animals are natives of Iceland, and 

 differ from the English breed in several particu- 

 lars; having straight upright ears, a small tail, 

 and sometimes four, five, or even eight horns. 

 Their wool is long, smooth, and hairy; and under 

 the outward coat, which falls off at certain pe- 

 riods, they have another covering, resembling a 

 short and soft fur. They are of a dark brown 

 colour, and the quantity of wool produced by 

 each sheep is about four pounds. In some in- 

 stances they are kept in stables during winter; 

 but the greater part of them are left to seek their 

 own food in the open plains. They acquire con- 

 siderable fatness by feeding on the scurvy grass, 

 of which they are particularly fond. 



In stormy weather they hide themselves in 

 caves from the fury of the elements ; but when 

 such retreats are not to be found, they collect 

 together during the heavy falls of snow, and 

 place their heads near each other, with their 

 muzzles inclined towards the ground. This not 

 only prevents their being so easily buried under 

 the snow, but also renders them much easier to 

 be discovered by the owner. In this situation 

 they will sometimes remain so many days, that 

 they are compelled by hunger to gnaw each 

 other's wool, which, forming into hard balls in 

 their stomachs, often destroys them. After the 



