GREGARIOUSNESS 



67 



on its rump, the point where she usually sniffs at the lamb to 

 recognize it. 



Gregariousness. Sheep have the gregarious instinct; that is, 

 they like to keep together. The nocking instinct is not so pro- 

 nounced in some breeds as it is in others, but there is no breed or 

 variety known that does not possess it. Of the well-known breeds, 

 the Merinos have this trait most strongly developed, for, as stated 

 in Chapter I, they stay close together whether grazing or resting. 

 On range where herding is practiced this statement applies to the 

 whole of a large band. On the other hand, nearly or quite all of 



FIG. 36. Following the leader. (By courtesy of The Country Gentleman, Philadelphia.) 



the English mutton breeds are less inclined to stay close together 

 while grazing. Flocks of any of the mutton breeds seem to prefer 

 to spread out over a rather large area while feeding, yet if some- 

 thing frightens them, as the bark of a strange dog, they show their 

 gregarious instinct by bunching up as fast as they can. One of the 

 breeds least inclined to close nocking is the Black-faced Highland, 

 a mountain breed of Scotland. In their native country, one may see 

 the hill or mountain sides dotted with small groups consisting of 

 from three to ten of these sheep picking at the heather, apparently 

 oblivious of their flock-mates more than half a mile away. 



The flocking instinct is so strongly implanted in sheep that when 

 an individual is separated from the flock, it is an indication that 



