24 BRITISH QUADRUPEDS. 



motions, and allowing his approach within a certain 

 distance. But when the suspected foe shows his in- 

 tention of coming nearer, the careful guard alarms his 

 companions by a loud hiss or whistle, twice or thrice 

 repeated, and the whole party instantly scour away 

 with great agility, always seeking the steepest and 

 most inaccessible parts of the mountains. 



In Scotland, dreadful storms sometimes take place, 

 and of the approach of these, sheep have generally an 

 unerring foresight, or rather of the coming wind that 

 will drift ; and they will hurry away to some tried and 

 approved shelter, when the shepherd sees not a cloud, 

 and dreams not of the wind. One of these mountain 

 shepherds says : " I had left my sheep under their 

 accustomed shelter, and where I had never failed to find 

 them safe and comfortable in the morning, and I was 

 plodding my weary way homeward ; but before distance 

 and darkness closed them from my sight for the night, 

 I looked back to see if they had ceased to dig for food, 

 for there was snow on the ground, when I was surprised 

 to see them on their march down hill, towards a small 

 plantation, which would afford securer shelter, and to 

 which I had been accustomed to drive them, when I 

 feared the coming tempest. They had fallen into rows, 

 pacing one after the other until they reached the 



