MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 125 



person, and is used as a reference-book in cases 

 of dispute. It sets forth the name of each 

 farm, the number of its heaf-going sheep, a 

 rough definition of their range ; and finally, 

 the account of each flock is illustrated by cuts. 

 This shows, to take an example, " I. B." on 

 the near shoulder, a red smit down the flank, 

 with the near ear slit down the middle. The 

 " smits and slits " are essential, for, although 

 the initials of the owner may, and frequently 

 do, become blurred and indistinct, the former 

 are lasting, and, in case the animals have 

 strayed, they may at once be identified. With 

 the enclosure of the Commons, this "Smit-Book " 

 is now rarely used, and no recent edition has 

 been printed. 



Most of the sheep winter on the fells. On 

 the highest of these, in severe weather, they 

 have usually to be foddered through three or 

 four months of the year. Hay is taken in peat 

 "sleds," and bundles are thrown down at 

 intervals. Failing this, the sheep are expert 

 in scraping away the snow to get at the buried 

 herbage. This they do with their feet and 

 noses, and, as they clear away the snow 

 the grouse (though this applies only to the 



