THE MERINO SHEEP, 185 
they will not flee from his presence, but draw together into a compact body, 
and watch him with stern and unyielding gaze. Should he attempt to 
advance, he would be instantly assailed by the rams, which form the first 
line in such cases, and would fare but badly in the encounter. A dog, if it 
should happen to accompany the intruder, would probably be at once charged 
and driven from the spot. 
Even a single ram is no mean antagonist when he is thoroughly irritated, 
and his charge is really formidable. Sheep differ from Goats in their 
manner of fighting ; the latter animals rear themselves on their hind legs, 
and then plunge sideways upon their adversary, while the former animals 
‘ hurl themselves forward, and strike their opponent with the whole weight as 
well as impetus of the body. So terrible is the shock of a ram's charge, that 
it has been known to prostrate a bull at the first blow. Nor is the sheep only 
combative when irritated by opposition, or when danger threatens itself. A 
Sheep that had been led into a slaughter-house has been known to turn 
fiercely upon che butcher as he was about to kill one of its companions, 
and to butt him severely in order to make him relinquish his grasp of its 
friend. 
In the British Isles the Sheep breeds freely, producing generally one or 
two lambs every year, and sometimes presenting its owner with three lambs at 
a birth. One instance is on record of a wonderfully prolific ewe. She had 
hardly passed her second year when she produced four lambs. The next 
year she had five ; the year after that she bore twins ; and the next year five 
again. On two successive years she bore twins. Two out of the four and 
three out of the five were necessarily fed by hand. 
oe now advert shortly to some of the principal breeds or varieties of 
the Sheep. 
Of all the domestic varieties of this useful animal, the SPANISH, or MERINO 
SHEEP, has attra¢ted the greatest attention. 
Originally, this animal is a native of Spain, a country which has been for 
many centuries celebrated for the quantity and quality of its wool. The 
Merino Sheep, from whom the long and fine Spanish wool was obtained, 
were greatly improved by an admixture with the Cotswold Sheep of England, 
some of which were sent to Spain in 1464, and the fleece was so improved by 
the crossing, that famous English wool was surpassed by that which was 
supplied by Spain. 
In Spain, the Merinos are kept in vast flocks, and divided into two general 
heads, the stationary and the migratory. The former animals remain in the 
same locality during the whole of their lives, but the latter are accustomed to 
undertake regular annual migrations. The summer months they spend in 
the cool mountainous districts, but as soon as the weather begins to grow 
cold, the flocks pass into the warmer regions of Andalusia, where they remain 
until April. The flocks are sometimes ten thousand in number, and the 
organization by which they are managed is very complex and perfect. Over 
each great flock is set one experienced shepherd, who is called the “ mayoral,” 
and who exercises despotic sway over his subordinates. Fifty shepherds 
are placed under his orders, and are supplied with boys and intelligent 
dogs. 
Unde: the guardianship of their shepherds, the Merino Sheep, which have 
spent the summer in the mountains, begin their downward journey about the 
month of September ; and after a long and leisurely march they arrive at the 
pasture-grounds, which are recognized instinctively by the Sheep. In these 
pasturages the winter folds are prepared, and here are born the young 
Merinos, which generally enter the world in March or the beginning of Apri. 
Towards the end of that month the Sheep begin to be restless, and unless 
