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THE HIGHLAND SHEEP. 



WHEN its intellectual faculties are developed by external circumstances, the Sheep is 

 found to be a decidedly clever animal. 



A lamb that belonged to one of my friends, was one of the oddest creatures that could 

 be imagined, full of quaint and even grotesque humor, and cunning to a degree that was 

 almost reprehensible. Excepting a monkey, the lamb was the greatest mimic which the 

 house possessed, and would imitate everything and everybody in the most ludicrous 

 manner. The great deficiency in its character was its utter want of self reliance a trait 

 which may afford a clue to the extraordinary manner in which these animals will follow 

 their leader. The creature seemed so dependent on the approbation of its human play- 

 fellows, and its disposition was so sensitive to praise or blame, that its mistress could 

 hardly venture upon either course of conduct for fear of over-exciting the impetuous 

 feeling of the animal. If blamed or scolded, it would shrink away into a corner, push its 

 head out of sight, and appear quite overwhelmed with sorrow. But if, on the contrary, 

 it were praised or patted, it became almost mad with excitement, rolling over and over like 

 a ball, and even standing upon its head, an odd trick which it had contrived to acquire. 



HIGHLAND SHEEP. 



For music it possessed a discriminating ear, being delighted at brisk and lively airs 

 such as are set for polkas, quadrilles, and other dance-tunes; but abhorring all slow and 

 solemn compositions. It had the deepest detestation for the National Anthem, and 

 would set up such a continuous baa-baa as soon as its ears were struck with the unwel- 

 come sounds, that the musician was fain to close the performance, being silenced by mirth 

 if not by pity. Many of its pranks are fresh in the remembrance of its late owner, 

 but I can only find space for a single anecdote : 



It was particularly fond of parsley, and ravaged the beds to such an extent that the 

 gardener was forced to protect some of the coveted herb under a glass-shade. The 

 creature soon discovered the treasure ; and, nothing daunted by the supposed protection, 

 broke the glass and ate the parsley, without damaging itself by the sharp fragments of 

 the glass. " Bull's-eye " glass was then employed in the frames, and for a time seemed to 

 protect the parsley ; but after a while even the new frames were found broken, and the 

 parsley gone. No one could conceive how the " innocent " lamb could have achieved 

 such a feat, and a watch was consequently set upon it. Another frame was procured 



