100 A COUNTRY READER. 



they took to the snow-covered mountain sides as 

 a refuge. 



Their instincts, shape and colour, and covering 

 of back had to become adapted to life on 

 the mountain sides, and therefore only those 

 sheep could survive and leave descendants who 

 could do this. 



If the wild sheep was to live and not die, 

 it had to climb up steep slopes and slide down 

 almost perpendicular sides of hill and mountain ; 

 it had to climb over great gaps and crevices in 

 the ground, and leap from ledge to ledge on high 

 precipices. 



Think how such a life as that must have 

 caused the muscles of the leg to have rounded 

 and become fleshy, which with care and breeding 

 on the part of man have developed into full, 

 juicy, tender legs of mutton. 



Amidst these wild desolate regions the horned 

 ram keeps careful guard over his flock ; he is 

 always on the look-out against the wolves and 

 jackals and two-footed man. 



The flock also have their sentinels, and if any 

 danger is approaching, the alarm signal is given, 

 and the scattered flock gathers together in a 

 body to obey the instinctive sheep law of 

 " Follow my leader " a law that the experience 

 of ages has taught the sheep is best for their 

 escape and safety. 



