4 8 



HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



wards been taken out without any material injury. Thus 

 beautifully defcribed by Thomfon : — 



— ■ — ■ — -" Oft the whirlwind's wing 



" Sweeps up the burthen of whole wintry plains 

 " At one wide waft; and o'er the haplefs flocks, 

 " Hid in the hollow of two neighbouring hills, 

 " The billowy tempeft whelms."— — 



There have been inftances, where Sheep, at the ap- 

 proach of a florin, have fled for fhelter to a neighbouring 

 cottage, and taken refuge under the fame roof with their 

 fhepherd. 



The variety in this creature is fo great, that fcarcely 

 any two countries produce Sheep of the fame kind : 

 There is found a manifefl difference in all, either in the 

 fize, the covering, the fliape, or the horns. 



The woolly Sheep is found only in Europe, and in the 

 temperate provinces of Afia. When tranfported into 

 warmer climates, it lofes its wool, and becomes hairy 

 and rough : It is likewife lefs fertile, and its flefh no 

 longer retains the fame flavour. 



No country produces finer Sheep than Great-Britain : 

 Their fleeces are large, and well adapted to the various 

 purpofes of cloathing. The Spanifh fleeces are indeed 

 finer, but (land in no degree of comparifon with thofe of 

 Lincolnfhire or Warwickfhire for weight or utility. — In 

 Edward the Third's time, when wool was allowed to be 

 exported, it brought 150,0001. per annum, at2l. 10 s. 

 a pack, which was a great fum in thofe days. At this 

 time, when our woollen manufactory ftands unrivalled 

 by any nation in the world, and every method is taken 

 to prevent this valuable commodity from being fent out 

 of the kingdom, the annual value of wool, (horn in Epg- 



