474 History of the Author's 



the Gid, or Giddiness ; and principally affects these animals from i to 2 years of 

 age. They turn their heads on one side, or upwards, and cannot accurately move 

 their muscles according to the direction of the will. Hence they stagger in walk- 

 ing, and often beat themselves against any object at which they aim, or which 

 intervenes between them and that which they mean to approach. By degrees 

 these symptoms increase, till, at length, they frequently fall. They run into cor- 

 ners from the rest of the flock, become unable to crop or chew their food ; and, at 

 last, at the end of several months, die in a state of great emaciation. The cause of 

 this disease has been found, on dissection, to be pressure on the brain from water, 

 either in the natural cavities, or, as it is said, contained in a cyst or bag. * Daring 

 the last 5 or 6 years, I have in this way lost about 4 sheep, and have now a ram hog 

 labouring under it. It is, therefore, a rare disease in this breed, but, so far as I 

 know, absolutely incurable. 



That which is more common, and very difficult to eradicate, when it once gets 

 into a flock, is the Shab, or Scab. It is much spoken of under the name of Scabies 

 by the Romans, whose flocks seemed very subject to it ; and by the French, who 

 call it la Gale, or the itch, and with whom, as in Spain, gross neglect often makes 

 it fatal. It is extremely infectious; and as, when it has once affected the skin, or 

 wool, it will lie a long while dormant, I think it probable that it never arises from 

 any other cause. Some years ago I discovered it within 2 days of their arrival 

 in some ewes which were sent to one of my rams ; but as I had before found it very 

 easy to cure in some Ryeland sheep, I thought it worthy of little notice. A few 

 months, however, convinced me of my error. A large proportion of my ewes and 

 lambs was infected, and more than 2 years elapsed before I could root it out of my 

 flock. It produced a deficiency of nearly half a pound of wool per fleece, throughout 

 the whole of my infected sheep. I am persuaded that, from the peculiar nature of 

 the wool and skin in the Merino, and its hner crosses, it is in them more difficult of 

 cure than in the coarser and more thinly covered skin of the native English breeds. 

 It may, however, be certainly removed, by long perseverance in the due means; 

 and as certainly prevented by sufficient care in avoiding all communication with 



* Partly from other occupations, and partly from neglect of notice by my servants, I have 

 emitted to open the heads of any of these sheep ; but I shall endeavour to avail myself of future 

 opportunities of this kind. It is not impossible that the disorder may be found owing to hyda« 

 tids, like those in the lungs before described. 



