PASTURING OF SHEEP. 41 



swallows this food, which passes into another stom- 

 ach, instead of falling into the paunch as at first. 



Q. How is it known, when a sheep is chewing the 

 cud? 



A. He is seen to chew without receiving any food 

 from without : when he has chewed a short time, it 

 is observed, that something descends under the skin, 

 from the throat along the neck ; it is the grass, which 

 has been chewed, and which forms a ball as large as 

 a walnut : a moment after, the body is seen to con- 

 tract by an effort, and another ball reascends along 

 the neck, quite to the throat ; when the animal re- 

 news his chewing : all this is repeated, until he stops 

 ruminating. 



Q. At what hour, is it necessary to* lead sheep out 

 to graze, after having kept them in the shade, during 

 the middle of the day ? 



A. They should be led again to pasture, when the 

 sun begins to fall, and when the strength of the heat 

 has abated. 



Q. At what hour, is the flock brought back in the 

 evening ? 



A. The flock may be allowed to graze, until the 

 end of the day, and even during some hours of the 

 night, in grounds where the grass is thick, and plenty 

 enough to be readily seized : but when it is wet by 

 the dew of the evening, the flock must be withdrawn ; 

 although many people believe, that the dew of the 

 evening is not hurtful to sheep, or is less so, than that 

 of the morning : it is however the same cold moisture, 

 6 



