THE LYCISCAN GROUP. 709 



with whom he associates. He is homely in his demeanour, 

 indifferent to the caresses of strangers, whom he rather re- 

 pulses than courts, and seemingly sedulous only in the dis- 

 charge of his proper duties. He attaches himself to his im- 

 mediate master ; and frequently, when transferred to a stran- 

 ger, pines, and yields an unwilling service. The race is 

 frequently crossed with other breeds ; but, for the most part, 

 those are the most useful and trusty which retain the con- 

 formation of the older colleys. They are faithful, and never 

 reluctant to exert their powers. When directed by the voice 

 and gestures of the shepherd, they collect the straggling 

 sheep, and bring them in a body to the places appointed. 

 They run in silence ; but, when driving the sheep into pens 

 and houses, or forcing them to cross rivulets or narrow 

 passes, they use the voice, barking with a sharp and peculiar 

 tone. They have been known -to follow a strayed sheep to a 

 distant farm, separate it from the flock with which it had 

 mixed, and bring it back again to its own pastures. Won- 

 derful instances are on record of their sagacity and perse- 

 verance, when left to their own resources. A curious case 

 is mentioned by the Etterick Shepherd. A flock of newly 

 weaned lambs under his charge, 700 in number, from some 

 unknown cause, took sudden fright. In the endeavours of 

 himself and an assistant to collect them, they separated, and 

 fled in three divisions to the neighbouring hills, south, west, 

 and east. Apostrophising his dog, the Shepherd exclaimed, 

 " Sirrah, my man, they're a' away !" Sirrah comprehended 

 the import, and without a word of direction, and although it 

 was now midnight, set off alone in the pursuit. The night 

 passed'on, while the anxious Shepherd and his fellow-labourer 

 traversed separately every neighbouring hill for miles. Nei- 

 ther the sheep nor the dog were to be anywhere seen ; and the 

 Shepherd and his friend, after the sun had been up, were 

 returning to their master with the ungrateful intelligence 

 that every one of his flock of lambs had been lost. On their 

 way homeward, they discovered a number of sheep at the 



