The Sheep and Goats 



229 



"transhumantes" are divided into flocks, each under a head shepherd, or " majoral." The 

 flocks follow the shepherds, who lead the way, and direct the length and speed of the journey. 

 A few wethers, trained to the business, follow the shepherds, and the rest come in due order. 

 Powerful dogs accompany them as guards. This system of sheep migration is controlled by 

 a tribunal termed the Mesta. It can be traced back to the middle of the fourteenth century. 

 By it persons are prohibited from travelling along the course of the route pursued by the 

 flocks so long as they are on the road. It also maintains the right for the flocks to graze 

 on all the open or common land that lies in the way. Moreover, it claims a path ninety 

 yards wide through all enclosed and cultivated country. The length of the journey is over 

 400 miles, which is accom])lished in six or seven weeks. The system works greatly to the 

 injury of local cultivators and stationary flocks, whose fields are injm'ed by the migratory sheep. 



M^%^s 



Photo by ]y. liLulj 



[WiilMU. A Jl 



CROSS-BRED SHEEP. 

 The class uf sheep kejit mainly on cu]tiv;itcd lan.l in the North JliJlands. 



English Breeds of Sheep. 



In England are reared the finest and most valuable sheep. This is evident from the 

 prices paid for them by foreigners and breeders in our colonies. Except for merinos, no 

 one comes to any other country but this when about to seek new blood for their flocks or 

 to stock new lands. Recently 1,000 guineas were paid by a firm in Argentina for a single 

 Lincoln ram. 



Differences, well marked and of great importance, exist between our different breeds. Each 

 suits its own district, and each is carefully improved and kept pure by herd-books, in which all 

 pedigree animals are entered. 



The " general utility sheep " in England is the South Down ; in Scotland, the Border 

 Leicester. The former is a small, fine sheep, with close wool, and yielding excellent mutton. 

 It larovides the meat sold in our best shops, and has largely stocked New Zealand. The 

 original breed of England was possibly the Cotswold ; it is a tall, long-woolled, white-fleeced 



