Class I. SHEEP. 39 



milk, is thicker than that of cows, and conse- 

 quently yields a greater quantity of butter and 

 cheese ; in some places it is so rich, that it will 

 not produce the cheese without a mixture of 

 water to make it part from the whey. The 

 dung is a remarkably rich manure, insomuch 

 that the folding of sheep is become too useful a 

 branch of husbandry for the farmer to neglect. 

 To conclude, whether we consider the advan- 

 tages that result from this animal to individuals 

 in particular, or to these kingdoms in general, 

 we may with Columella consider it in one 

 sense, as the first of the domestic animals. 

 Post majores qaadrupedes ovilli pecoris secunda 

 ratio est ; qua prima sit si ad utilitatis mag- 

 nitudinem re/eras. Nam id pnecipue contra 

 frigoris violentiam protegit, corporibusque nos- 

 tris liberaliora prcebet velamina ; et etiam ele- 

 gantium mensas jucundis et numerosis dapibus 

 exornat.* 



The sheep as to its nature, is a most innocent 

 mild and simple animal, and conscious of its 

 own defenceless state, remarkably timid : if at- 

 tacked when attended by its lamb, it will make 

 some shew of defence, by stamping with its 

 feet, and pushing with its head : it is a grega- 



* De re rustica, lib. vii. c, 2. 



