

HISTORY. 31 





subdued, indeed, his natural instincts are blunted, and he 

 loses the providence and sense of danger which are natural 

 to him ; but when left in a state of comparative liberty, as on 

 the mountains of Scotland and Wales, he shews that, though 

 comparatively feeble, he is not without the power of guard- 

 ing himself from danger. When attacked by dogs or foxes, 

 the flock forms a circle, with the rams in front, presenting a 

 face to the enemy. The rams rush forward on the assailant, 

 and strike him with their powerful horns ; and in their con- 

 tests with one another for the possession of the females, they 

 fight with amazing determination, stunning one another with 

 the violence of the shocks. The Sheep is an exceedingly hardy 

 animal with respect to temperature, his close covering of wool 

 defending him well from cold. He foresees an impending fall 

 of snow, and takes shelter from its violence. When buried 

 underneath the snow, as he sometimes is, he often survives 

 for many days, and even weeks, and may be digged up with- 

 out injury, provided he have escaped suffocation ; for in such* 

 a situation, his thick fleece, which, as well as the snow, is a 

 slow conductor of heat, retains the natural warmth of the body 

 in such a degree as to preserve life. The ewe bears that affec- 

 tion to her offspring which Nature has imprinted, as it were, 

 on the heart of every animal. Should mishap befal her young 

 one, she mourns over it, and will not be comforted: should it 

 wander from her side, her anxious bleatings are everywhere 

 heard ; and the little creature rewards her cares with surpris- 

 ing fondness. Who that has seen shearing of the flock, has not 

 marked the startled aspect of the lamb when the mother first 

 runs toward it divested of her covering, and how quickly it is 

 reassured, and how sensibly it expresses its joy. when it hears 

 the well-known voice, and receives the wonted caresses ! The 

 Sheep appears insensible and stupid, because it is rarely at- 

 tached to us by acts of familiarity and kindness. But let the 

 orphan lamb be brought up at the shepherd's cot, and fed 

 from his hand, and we shall find it to be nearly as fami- 

 liar as a dog, fond of being caressed, and unwilling to leave 



