56 Essay on Sheep* 



notice the American breeds of sheep, since 

 those who will interest themselves sufficiently 

 in the subject to read this essay, can hardly be 

 unacquainted with the breeds of their native 

 country, had it not been that three kinds of 

 sheep, till lately unnoticed, have attracted the 

 public attention; the Otter, the Arlington, 

 and the Smith's Island sheep. The Otter sheep, 

 it is said, were first discovered in some island 

 on our eastern coast, where I cannot precisely 

 say, and from thence they have spread to the 

 adjoining states. The sheep of this breed are 

 rather long-bodied than large, and will weigh, 

 like the other sheep of the country, about fif- 

 teen pounds a quarter when killed from grass* 

 Their wool is of a medium fineness, and a me- 

 dium length; it is neither properly short-cloth- 

 ing wool, nor is it of such length as to be ad- 

 vantageously combed. But what particularly 

 characterizes these sheep, and from which, to- 

 gether with the length of their bodies, they 

 probably took their name, is the extreme short- 

 ness of their legs, which are also turned out in 

 such a manner as to render then rickety. They 

 cannot run or jump, and even walk with some 

 difficuUy. They appear as if their legs had 

 been broken, and set by an awkward surgeon. 

 To me there is something so disgusting in the 



