516 THE HORSE. 



collect on the sedgy bogs, the heathy hills, and barren shores 

 of the country. They are thickly covered with a coat of 

 long hair, which becomes felted upon them like a garment 

 during the inclement season. Their colour is generally bay 

 or brown, sometimes mixed with white, and often it is of a 

 dullish black, and sometimes piebald. They are sagacious 

 and cunning, stealing into the patches of growing corn when 

 opportunity offers. They are gentle, and easily reduced to 

 obedience, and when domesticated and kindly treated, ex- 

 hibit almost as much sagacity as a dog. They will enter 

 an apartment and receive crumbs from the table, and stretch 

 themselves on the floor. They have sometimes been put in 

 hampers, and thus carried to a distance. They are in great 

 request for equestrian exhibitions, and are more easily trained 

 to the feats required than any other kind of horses. Thus 

 they may be made to leap through hoops, and in passing a 

 bar, to stoop beneath it, or leap over, as directed. The chief 

 demand for them is for saddle-horses for children. They 

 are the safest animals that can be used for this purpose ; and 

 as the demand is considerable, and would be much greater 

 were the supply more extended, there is good reason for 

 directing attention to the rearing of them, and preserving 

 those peculiarities of size and form which give them their 

 value. 



The Orkney Islands possess likewise their breeds of ponies ; 

 but they are of more mixed descent, and of larger size and 

 coarser form, than those of Zetland. These islands, the Ore 

 of the ancient British, were discovered by the Roman fleet, 

 which, by command of Agricola, sailed round the Island. 

 They early formed the haunt of northern rovers ; and, to- 

 wards the end of the 9th century, were reduced to subjection 

 by Harold Harfagre, the Norwegian, who established a dy- 

 nasty of Earls, who reduced Caithness, and parts of Suther- 

 land, Ross, and Cromarty, and made themselves be felt for 

 ages as the terror of the neighbouring coasts. In the year 

 1468, the Orkney, together with the Zetland Islands, were 



