884 THE BREEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 
Macdonald says that in the beginning of the last century 
a ship was stranded on the coast of Cumberland that 
had on board some Scotch sheep, which seem to have 
been unknown in that country. The sheep were landed 
and turned on the neighboring hills. Their excellent 
qualities and adaptation to their new situation became 
speedily evident. Their fleece was considerably finer 
than that of the common black sheep, and the matted 
quality of the wool enabled them to endure any severity 
of weather, and even to pass the whole of the winter with- 
out the smallest quantity of hay being expended upon 
them. By their ceaseless activity they scraped away the 
snow, however deeply the herbage might be buried under 
it. : 
These sheep are credited with living to a very old age, 
Macdonald stating that the ewes will breed for fifteen or 
twenty years. 
In the English Lake country, the mountains of Cumber- 
land and Westmoreland, in the north of England, these 
small sheep hold their own against the encroachments of 
all other breeds. 
474. Persiacot and Persiarino sheep. By FE. L. 
Shaw. — The Persiacot is a cross between the Persian and 
the Cotswold breeds. This cross-breed is said to be very 
hardy, and produces an excellent quality of mutton. The 
lambs make very rapid gains, and are in demand at good 
prices. The Persiarino is a cross between the Persian 
and the Merino breeds. This cross-breed is said to pro- 
duce a very hardy sheep and an excellent quality of 
mutton. All grades of these crosses are said to be fertile. 
The Persian resembles the Tunis, has a fat tail, and 
dark, hair-like wool. It has been used in a small way 
in the West for crossing. 
