HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



47 



rent character : In thefe fituations, a Ram or a Wedder 

 will boldly attack a fingle Dog, and often come off" vic- 

 torious ; but when the danger is more alarming, they 

 have recourfe to the collected ftrength of the whole flock. 

 On fuch occafions, they draw up into a compact body, 

 placing the young and the females in the center ; while 

 the males take the foremoft ranks, keeping clofe by each 

 other. Thus an armed front is prefented to all quarters, 

 and cannot eafily be attacked without danger of deftruc- 

 tion to the afTailant. In this manner, they wait with 

 firmnefs the approach of the enemy ; nor does their cou- 

 rage fail them in the moment of attack : For, when the 

 aggreffor advances within a few yards of the line, the 

 Rams dart upon him with fuch impetuofity, as lays him 

 dead at their feet, unlefs he fave himfelf by flight. A- 

 gainft the attacks of fingle Dogs or Foxes, when in this 

 fituation, they are perfectly fecure. — A Ram, regardlefs 

 of danger, will fometimes engage a Bull ; and his fore- 

 head being much harder than that of any other animal, 

 he feldom fails to conquer : For the Bull, by lowering 

 his head, receives the ftroke of the Ram between his 

 eyes, which ufually brings him to the ground. 



In the feleclion of their food, few animals difcover 

 greater fagacity than the Sheep nor does any domeftic 

 animal (hew more dexterity and cunning in its attempts 

 to elude the vigilance of the fhepherd, in order to Meal 

 fuch delicacies as are agreeable to its palate. 



Befides its hardinefs in enduring great feverities of 

 weather, the natural inftincl: of the Sheep, in forefeeing 

 the approach of a dorm, is no lefs remarkable : In their 

 endeavours to fecure themfelves under the fhelter of 

 fome hill, whole flocks have frequently been buried for 

 many days under a covering of (how, and have after- 



