51 



improved by the introduction of blood from some of the best 

 breeds in England. 



On the Continent of Europe, many varieties of sheep are 

 found — taking their name from the countries in which they are 

 fed. They are managed in a somewhat primitive and pastoral 

 manner, as are the sheep of Scotland, Ireland and Wales, to 

 which we have just referred ; and, as they are chiefly kept for 

 their wool, some knowledge of their quality and habits may be 

 interesting to those who believe in the profits of this important 

 article. 



The most universally diffused of these breeds is the Spanish 

 ]\Ierino. These sheep seem to have been known at a very early 

 period, and were originally of several varieties, whose fleeces 

 differed in color and quality. The finest were the Andalusians, 

 descended from the Tarentine breed of Italy, which were 

 brought into Spain in A. D. 41 by Columella, and mixed with 

 some valuable and beautiful African rams. From this time to 

 the Thirteenth Century, wool growing and woolen manufactures 

 increased largely in Spain ; and there were at one time in Seville 

 alone 10,000 looms, whose fine fabrics were exported to all 

 parts of Europe as well as to Africa, and were a source of much 

 national wealth. During the reigns of Ferdinand V. and Philip 

 III. nearly a million of the woolen weavers were driven from 

 Spain, and manufactures declined ; but the farmers still fed 

 their flocks, the blood of which they preserved with great care. 



The Mermos, which constitute nearly all the sheep of Spain, 

 are divided into those which are confined to one district, and 

 those which migrate from pasture to pasture as the seasons 

 change. 



The following interesting narrative of incidents connected 

 with the annual peregrinations of these sheep is from Mr. You- 

 att's work : — 



"They are divided into flocks, each of which is placed under 

 the care of a mayoral, or chief shepherd, who has a sufficient 

 number of others under his command, with their dogs. He 

 uniformly precedes the flock, and directs the length and speed 



