96 O N W E T H E R S . 



old, because it is necessary, that the ovary should be 

 as large as haricot beans, so as to be easily felt with 

 the finger. 



Q. How is the operation performed ? 



A. The shepherd performs it by laying the lamb 

 on the right side, near the edge of a table, for the 

 purpose of having the head hanging from it : he 

 places on his left an assistant, who draws out the left 

 hind leg of the lamb, grasping it with the left hand at 

 the let-lock, above the hoofs, to keep in place ; a 

 second assistant, placed upon the right of the opera- 

 tor, takes the fore legs and right hind one, and grasps 

 them all three in his right-hand at the fet-lock. The 

 lamb being thus prepared, the operator raises the 

 skin on the left flank, with the two first fingers of the 

 left hand, to form a fold at an equal distance between 

 the highest part of the bone of the haunch, and the 

 navel : the assistant on the left side lengthens this fold, 

 "with the left hand also, quite to the place of the false 

 rib ; then the operator cuts the fold with a very sharp 

 knife, so that the incision should be only an inch and 

 an half long, on a line from the highest part of the 

 haunch bone to the navel. The opening being made, 

 by cutting by degrees through the whole thickness 

 of the fiesh, quite to the place of the guts, without 

 touching them, the operator introduces his fore fin- 

 ger, that is, that which is next to the thumb, into the 

 belly of the lamb, in search of the left ovary : as soon 

 as he feels it, he gently draws it out through the 

 opening : the two large ligaments, the womb, the 

 matrix, and the other ovary come out at the same 



