62 THE SHEEP. 



A .question of economical interest for these Islands is, 

 whether the existing breeds should be preserved, or new 

 ones substituted. The interests of individuals may be ex- 

 pected to lead them to the latter course, at least to the ex- 

 tent of crossing the native races with superior stock. In 

 this manner an immediate profit may be expected ; and it is 

 not to be supposed that individual breeders will abandon a 

 mean of present profit for one more distant and contingent. 

 Under this system, indeed, the pure Scandinavian Breed will 

 diminish in numbers, and ultimately disappear ; but this 

 could scarcely be regretted, if a more useful class of animals 

 were to be substituted. If it were wished to preserve the 

 ancient race in such of the Islands as yet produce them, then 

 the attention of breeders should be directed to the proper 

 management of their flocks, to better feeding, and to long 

 and persevering care in the selection of the males and females. 

 Without attention to these things, the present race of Zet- 

 land Sheep can never be recovered from the degeneracy into 

 which it has fallen during ages of maltreatment and neglect. 



The Merino Sheep have been tried for the purpose of cross- 

 ing the native race ; but, as might have been anticipated 

 from the habitudes of the Merino parents, the progeny was 

 found unfitted to withstand the rigour of the climate, and the 

 exposed situation of the country. The Cheviot Sheep have, 

 however, been used for crossing with advantage, and appear 

 to be the breed which is greatly the best for the purpose. 



The Short-tailed Sheep of Northern Europe had also been 

 early carried to the Hebrides, doubtless by the Norwegians. 

 Some of the descendants of these Sheep remain, but only in 

 scattered remnants, which are rapidly disappearing, their 

 size being diminutive, and the interest of the breeders having 

 everywhere led them to adopt breeds of more economical 

 value. Polycerate Sheep, too, are sometimes found in the 

 Islands of Scotland, doubtless the descendants of the same 

 race in Iceland and the north of Europe, but they are gene- 

 rally worthless, and are nearly extinct. 



