146 THE SHEPHERD'S DOG. 



in the distant parts of the upland country, where- portions of 

 the sheep-flocks were often beneath the snow. The sagacious 

 animal, we are told, always took advantage of the wind, where 

 that was practicable, and the moment he was told to " seek the 

 sheep be careful," his whole attention was bestowed upon 

 those parts of the snow-drift that the parties pointed out to 

 him. With his nose close to the surface of the snow, his eyes 

 beaming with intelligence, and anxiously watching every motion 

 of the person that accompanied him, his ears in an attitude of 

 listening, as if he expected to assist the sense of smelling by 

 that of hearing, would he traverse the hard, soft, or slippery 

 snow-drift. When he had first satisfied himself that there were 

 sheep buried somewhere in the vicinity, he would examine, with 

 peculiar caution, every part of the surrounding surface, until 

 he had detected the precise locality, and then he would com- 

 mence scratching away the snow with all his might. This was 

 a sure signal for those who carried the shovels to commence 

 digging, but the dog was never contented unless he were allowed 

 to continue his scratching, as if he were anxious to set the 

 imprisoned sheep at liberty as soon as possible. In a single 

 severe winter this dog set, as it is termed, upwards of three 

 hundred sheep ; and though it may be true that a portion of 

 them might have been discovered through other means, the 

 probability is,, that he rescued several scores that otherwise 

 inevitably would have perished. 



In the summer of 1836, several of the sheep in the neighbour- 

 hood of Ard Stinchar, were affected with maggots in the skin : to 

 rid them of which it is necessary to cut off the wool over the 

 part attacked, and apply a small quantity of tobacco juice, or 

 some other liquid. For this purpose a shepherd set off to the 

 hill one morning, accompanied by Laddie, his faithful colley. 

 Arrived among the flock, the shepherd pointed out a maggotty 

 sheep, and making the accustomed signal for the dog to capture 

 it, he speedily did so by laying her sprawling on her back, and 

 gently holding her down till the arrival of her keeper, who 

 proceeded to clip off a portion of her wool, and apply the healing 



