122 NATURE AND WOODCRAFT. 



CHAPTER XT. 



MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



Scattered along the slopes of many of the 

 northern valleys, there still lingers the last 

 remnant of the old yeomen, or 'Statesmen 

 class. Their houses are strongly built of stone, 

 and are essentially those of a utilitarian age. 

 Each homestead has about it a few fertile fields 

 — meadows which margin the valley stream. 

 These are sufficient to afford keep for a dozen 

 milch cows, and in summer yield abundant 

 crops of hay. The young cattle graze the 

 "grassing heads" in summer, but are brought 

 to the coppice belts of birch and hazel to pick 

 a scanty winter fare. There is no plough- 

 ing, and therefore few horses are required. 

 Although the 'Statesman, with all his virtues, 



