XI V SHEEPDOGS 127 



show the most wonderful instinct in assisting their masters, 

 who, without their aid, would have but little command over 

 a large flock of wild blackfaced sheep. It is a most interesting 

 sight to see a clever dog turn a large flock of these sheep in 

 whichever direction his master wishes, taking advantage of the 

 ground, and making a wide sweep to get round the sheep 

 without frightening them, till he gets beyond them, arid then 

 rushing barking from flank to flank of the flock, and bringing 

 them all up in close array to the desired spot. When, too, the 

 shepherd wishes to catch a particular sheep out of the flock, I 

 have seen hini point it out to the dog, who would instantly 

 distinguish it from the rest, and follow it up till he caught it. 

 Often I have seen the sheep rush into the middle of the flock, 

 but the dog, though he must necessarily have lost sight of it 

 amongst the rest, would immediately single it out again, and 

 never leave the pursuit till he had the sheep prostrate, but 

 unhurt, under his feet. I have been with a shepherd when 

 he has consigned a certain part of his flock to a dog to be 

 driven home, the man accompanying me farther on to the 

 hill. On our return we invariably found that he had either 

 given up his charge to the shepherd's wife or some other respon- 

 sible person, or had driven them, unassisted, into the fold, lying 

 down himself at the narrow entrance to keep them from getting 

 out till his master came home. At other times I have seen 

 a dog keeping watch on the hill on a flock of sheep, allowing 

 them to feed all day, but always keeping sight of them, and 

 bringing them home at a proper hour in the evening. In fact 

 it is difficult to say what a shepherd's dog would not do to 

 assist his master, who would be quite helpless without him 

 in a Highland district. 



Generally speaking, these Highland sheepdogs do not show 

 much aptness in learning to do anything not connected in some 

 way' or other with sheep or cattle. They seem to have been 

 brought into the world for this express purpose, and for no 

 other. 



They watch their master's small crop of oats or potatoes 

 with great fidelity and keenness, keeping off" all intruders in the 

 shape of sheep, cattle, or horses. A shepherd once, to prove 

 the quickness of his dog, which was lying before the fire in the 

 house where we .were talking, said to me, in the middle of a 



