1 4f4f Zoology, 



sake of reference to sjnohymes ; and even then It will be difficult to say 

 which ought to be preferred. 



Is science forwarded or retarded by such a procedure ? " Speak ye who 

 best can tell." Universality of language is^ in the first instance, the main 

 desideratum, and is worth almost any sacrifice. One name is as good as 

 another, if every one understands what is meant by it ; and it should be 

 made to serve as long as possible, till observation and information shall 

 have enabled some select and indisputable authority to institute a perfect 

 system of classification and nomenclature. As an example of the evil 

 effects of those embarrassing fluctuations in classification, I may mention 

 that Temminck's Ornithology had experienced a very favourable reception. 

 He is a practical ornithologist, who had prosecuted the study for years, had 

 been educated in museums, visiting every cabinet in every capital of Europe ; 

 thus establishing a reputation which entitled him to respect. His work was 

 beginning to be generally adopted as a manual, text, or class-book, for Eu- 

 ropean ornithology ; it has been rigidly adhered to by Mr. Sabine in his 

 account of the zoological productions of the arctic regions, and by Mr. 

 Selby in the letter-press of his illustrated work on British birds. Last year 

 out comes Dr. Fleming's History of British Animals^ and, so far as concerns 

 British ornithology, away goes Temminck ; and thus are incessantly issuing 

 from the press new nomenclatures and classifications, most of which, from 

 peculiar circumstances, never will, and never can, be accepted by the 

 scientific world. But of these I shall, with your permission, enter into a 

 more particular analysis in my next. I am, Sir, &c. — Hypercrito. June 6. 

 1829. 



Art. II. Zoology. 



The Puruh Sheep of Ladusk. — Sir, Having lately met, in the Transactions 

 ffthe Royal Asiatic Society y vol. i., an interesting paper, by Mr. Moorecraft, 

 •on the Tartar population, and productions of the Himalaya Mountains, 

 amongst which he particularly notices a singular breed of sheep, that, he is 

 of opinion, would prove a most valuable acquisition to these countries, if 

 introduced amongst us : to effect which, it appears, he had even taken 

 some steps, though I fear ineffectually, as we have since heard no more 

 about them. As the subject is of some importance, and in unison with the 

 object of your Magazine, I beg leave to send you some extracts from Mr. 

 Moorecraft' s paper, in the hope that their publication, through a medium so 

 widely circulated, may excite an enquiry how far his patriotic and benevo- 

 lent intentions have been carried into effect, or induce an endeavour to fulfil 

 them : now more than ever called for, at a period when our small farmers 

 are every day sinking in the scale of society ; and the British cottager, with 

 narrowing means of support, is suffering distress and privation to which he 

 has heretofore been a stranger. 



" The Puruk Sheep of Ladusk, when at full growth, is scarcely as large 

 as a South Down lamb, six months old ; yet, in fineness and weight of 

 fleece, and flavour of mutton, added to its peculiarities of feeding and con- 

 stitution, it yields not in merit to any race hitherto described. It gives two 

 lambs in twelve months, and is twice shorn within that space: the clip 

 may afford, in the annual aggregate, 3 lbs. ; and the first yield is fine enough 

 for tolerably good shawls. The British flockmaster would be delighted with 

 the fineness of the bone, the spread of the carcass, the hardiness of its con- 

 stitution," and its aptness to fatten. The Puruk sheep, if permitted, thrusts 

 its head into the cooking-pot, picks up crumbs, is eager to drink the remains 

 of a cup of salted and buttered tea, or broth, and examine the hand of its 

 master for barley, flour, or for a cleanly picked bone, which it disdains not 



