THE RAM. 



of danger, by damping with its feet in a menacing manner, and pufliing with 

 its horns. It muff, however, be allowed that, notwithstanding the apparent 

 timidity of this animal, when under the immediate protection of man, it 

 affumes a very different conduct on the extenlive, wild mountains, where 

 numerous flocks range uncontrolled and unprotected by the fhepherd, except 

 at morning and evening. In fuch fituations, a Ram will boldly attack sl 

 Angle Dog, and frequently proves victorious. But when the attack is more 

 formidable, they unite in the common caufe, and draw themfelves up in a 

 body, the females and young, as being perfectly defencelefs, occupying the 

 centre, while the Rams, placing themfelves clofe to each other, form a circle 

 round them, and prefent a formidable battery of horns on all parts, which 

 cannot be attacked without imminent danger to the alTailant. Thus they 

 wait with firmnefs the approach of the enemy, on whom the Rams dart with 

 fuch impetuofity and force, as to lay him dead at their feet, unlefs he has 

 the addrefs to fave himfelf by flight. A Ram will fometimes engage a Bull, 

 and, from the fuperior hardnefs of his ikull, often comes off victorious. The 

 Sheep delights in the fociety of its own fpecies, and feems fond of a tinkling 

 noife, which induces the fhepherds to hang a bell round the neck of the 

 leader of the flock, thence called the Bell- Wether, or Weder, the found of 

 which the others never fail to follow. 



This animal is fubject to many difeafes, the moft dangerous of which, 

 namely the rot, is chiefly occalioned by its being kept in wet paftures, and 

 too commonly proves fatal. It is likewife fubject to the droply, vertigo, 

 jaundice, and worms in theliver(A); it is alfo tormented by feveral kinds of 

 infects, but chiefly by a fpecies of oeflrus, or gad-fly, which lays its eggs 

 fo high in the noftrils, that the maggots, when hatched, make their way into 

 the frontal finuffes, and give the poor animal exquilite torture. The French 

 fhepherds have a method of relieving this complaint, by trepanning the part, 

 and taking out the maggots. This operation is likewife performed in fome 

 parts of England, though not with equal fuccefs. The Ikin is much infefled 



(a) Fafciola hepatica. Linn. Sjft. 648. 



