40 Essay 071 Sheep. 



do to the number of three or four hundred in 

 a flock. 



As the Merino sheep are greatly superior to 

 any other in Europe, it has naturally led to an 

 inquiry into their origin, and the time of their 

 introduction into Spain. On this subject history 

 does not afford all the light we could wish. 

 Many suppose that they were originally intro- 

 duced from the coast of Barbary, by Don 

 Pedro the fourth, who ascended the throne of 

 Castile, in the middle of the fourteenth cen- 

 tury. Others again attribute their introduction 

 to Cardinal Ximenes, who became Prime Mi- 

 nister of Spain in the beginning of the sixteenth 

 century. And Anderson insists, upon the au- 

 thority of Stow and some old records, that they 

 were introduced from England as early as Ed- 

 ward the fourth, who died in 1483. Though 

 all these circumstances may have contributed 

 to improve certain breeds already existing in 

 Spain, yet it is certain that the fine woolled 

 sheep were found in that country at a much 

 earlier period. Strabo, speaking of the beau- 

 tiful woollen clothes that were worn by the 

 Romans, says, that the wool was brought from 

 Truditania in Spain. After the conquest of 

 that country by the Romans, colonics were 

 planted there, who carried with them the art'^ 



