OVIS ARIES. 



In Spain the Merino breed are divided into estantes, sta- 

 tionary, and transhumantes, migratory. The first are those 

 which remain during the year in one place or farm ; the last 

 travel some hundred miles every year in search of pasture. 



The stationary sheep consist partly of the larger sheep of 

 the lower country, partly of mixed races, and partly of pure 

 Merinos, which do not differ in any respect from the migra- 

 tory sheep of that name, except in the method of treatment. 

 The stationary Merinos are reared where the district or farm 

 affords them sufficient food during the whole season. They 

 are most numerous in the central countries, where the pas- 

 tures are less apt to be scorched by the heats of the summer, 

 as in Segovia and the mountain ranges to the north of Madrid. 



The migratory sheep have been reckoned to amount to ten 

 millions, which is probably equal to half the whole number 

 of the sheep of Spain. They may be divided into two great 

 bodies, those which are to pass farther to the eastward, to 

 Soria, or even beyond the Ebro. These vast hordes of sheep 

 break up from their winter cantonments south of the Guadi- 

 ana about the middle of April, and proceed chiefly northward. 

 In the course of their journey northward, they are shorn, 

 in large buildings erected for that purpose. The western or 

 Leonese divfsion crosses the Tagus at Almaraz. The eastern 

 or Sorian division crosses the same river farther to the east- 

 ward, at Talavera, and in its course approaches the city of 

 Madrid. Having reached their destination, they are pastured 

 until the end of September, when they recommence their jour- 

 ney southward. Each of these journeys of many miles in 

 length occupies about six weeks in travelling. The older 

 sheep, it is said, when April arrives, know the time of setting 

 off, and are impatient to be gone. In the ten or twelve latter 

 days, increased vigilance is required on the part of the shep- 

 herds, lest the sheep should break out. Some of them do so, 

 and pursue their accustomed route, often reaching their for- 

 mer year's pasture, where they are found when the main 

 body arrives ; but for the most part these stragglers are carried 

 off by wolves, which abound along the course which the 

 migratory flocks pursue. 



These migratory sheep are divided into flocks of a thou- 

 sand or more, each under the charge of its own mayoral or 

 chief shepherd, who has a sufficient number of assistants 

 under his command. It is his province to direct all the de- 



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