58 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



fome parts of the Highlands of Scotland, are in pofleffion 

 of a breed of Sheep, which produces wool infinitely fupe- 

 rior to that of any other in the kingdom, and equal to the 

 Spanifti wool in finenefs and texture By order of the 

 Society, fpecimens of thefe Sheep have been obtained, for 

 the purpofe of a fair inveftigation into the nature and 

 quality of their wool ; which, upon examination, proves 

 much finer than was at firft imagined. We are fa- 

 voured, by Dr James Anderfon, with the following par- 

 ticulars. 



The Shetland SHEEP 



are handfome, fmall, and in general hornlefs; and are 

 peculiarly diftinguifhed by the unufuai fhortnefs and 

 fmalinefs of their tails. They weigh, when fat, from 

 eight to ten pounds per quarter. Their fleeces are, on 

 an average, about two pounds weight. The wool, when 

 properly drefled, is of a pure and glofly white : Some 

 fmall fpecimens of it, compared with Vigognia wool, 

 were allowed, by good judges, to be fully as fine ; and, 

 in foftnefs, equal to that of which the Indian fiiawls are 

 made. The Sheep producing this fine wool are faid to 

 be of the hardieft nature: They are never houfed; and, 

 in the winter feafon, are often fo pinched for food, that 

 they are obliged to feed upon the fea~ware driven upon 

 the fhore. Befides the wool with which they are cover- 

 ed, they have long hairs growing amongft it, which ferve 

 to fhelter it. 



It is a lingular circumftance, that the Shetland Sheep 

 are never {horn ; but, about the beginning of June, the 

 wool is pulled off, without the fmalleft pain or injury to 

 the animal, leaving the long hairs, already mentioned, 



