tending far beyond the mouth ; the nofbrlls, which 
are long, a!-e placed tranfverlely ; and the tail is 
bifid, one part of it being confiderably longer than 
the other. 
This creature, which is extremely voracious of 
human flefli, is fometimes caught on the Britilh 
coafls, particularly in Cornwall, during the pil- 
chard feafon. 
^lian informs us, that this animal will permit 
the fmall brood, when in danger, to fwim down it's 
throat, and take fhelter in it's belly; and the fa(5l 
has been confirmed by Rondcletius. Pennant, 
however, feems to think the care of their young 
is not peculiar to the Blue Shark, but common to 
the whole genus. 
Shark, Tope; the Squalus Galeus of Lin- 
nseus. See Tope. 
SHARPLING. An EngliHi appellation for 
the gafterofteus. See Stickleback. 
SHEAR WATER; the Porcellaria Puffinus 
of IJnnfEUs. This bird, called alfo by fome na- 
turalifts the Avis Diomedis, is about fifteen inches 
long, and thirty-one broad. The bill is one inch 
and three-quarters long; and the noftrils are tubu- 
lar. The bead, the whole upper part of the body, 
the wings, tail, and thighs, are of a footy black- 
nefs; the under-fide from chin to tail, as well as 
the inner coverts of the wings, are white; and 
the legs are (lender, compreffed iideways, dufky 
behind, and whiciih before. 
Thefe birds frequent the Calf of Man in Fe- 
bruary, take poffefllon of the rabbit-burrows, and 
then difappear till April. The young ones, 
which are fit to be taken about the beginning of 
Auguft, or the end of July, are killed in great 
numbers, faked, and barrelled ; and, when boiled, 
eaten with potatoes. They quit the ifle the latter 
end of Auguft or beginning of September; and 
from many circumftances it may be conjedured 
that they are difperfed over the whole Atlantic 
Ocean, like the ftorm-finch. In the Orkney Ides, 
this fpecies is denominated the lyre; and there 
both it's flefn and feathers are extremely valued. 
SHEAT-FISH. This filli, which is a fpecies 
of filurus, fometimes weighs upwards of one hun- 
dred and fifty pounds. In the Viftula, v/hich falls 
into the Baltic, fome have been cau2;ht meafurino- 
fixteen feet in length, and tv/enty-feven inches in 
breadth. The back is dufky, like that of an eel ; 
and the belly and fides are variegated with white 
and black fpaces or large fpots. The body is flip- 
pery, being covered with (lime, without any vifible 
fcales ; the head is very broad and flat ; the mouth 
extremely wide; the body is thick and roundifli 
to the vent; but the lower part of the belly is flat. 
In the tipper jaw, before the eyes, there are two 
very long and hard barbs ; and four more depend 
from the lower lip, but more flender and fliort. 
The mouth isdeftitute of teeth, properly fo called ; 
but the lips both above and below, as well as the 
palate, are rough like a file, and anlwer the pur- 
pofes of teeth. There is only one very fmall dorfal 
fin, confi.ling of no more than three nerves; and 
a long fin runs from the vent to the tail, which 
joins to each gill-fin. 
This fifii is found in feveral lakes and rivers of 
Germany, ufually keeping clofe to the bottom; 
and is extremely voracious, making dreadful ha- 
vock among the inferi©r fry. It is held in pretty 
high eftimation ; and is drefTed after the fame man- 
ner as the eel. 
SHEEP. In the Linn^ean diHribution of na- 
VoL.K, 
SHE 
ture, a diftin£l; genus of the order of pecora. The 
diftinguilhing charafters are: the horns are hol- 
low, bent backwards, wreathed, crooked, and fca- 
brous externally; there are eight cuttisjg-tceth in 
the lower jaw, but none in the upper; and no ca- 
nine teeth. 
Einn:Eus enumerates three fpecies ; the ovis 
aries, or ram Sheep; the ovis Guinenfis, or Gui- 
nea Sheep ; and the ovis Sterpficeros, or Cretan 
Sheep. However, though the varieties arc ex- 
tremely numerous, they may all be deduced from 
the ovis aries. 
Sheep, in their prefent domeftic fi:ate, are of all 
animals the moft innocent and defenceleis. De- 
ftitute of every quality necelTIiry to fel f- prefer va- 
tion, they endeavour to fly without fwiftnefs, and 
to oppofe v/ithout ftrength. Thefe feeble efforts 
ferve only to excite the infults of their enemies. 
The dog purfues the flock with greater delight on 
feeing them fly, and attacks them with more fero- 
city from their unfupported attempts at refiftance; 
while they keep together rather with the hopes of 
avoiding their fingle danger in the crowd, than of 
uniting to reprefs the attack by dint of numbers. 
Were the Sheep therefore expofed in it's prelenc 
ftate to druggie with it's natural enemies of the 
foreft, it would foon be extirpated. Loaded with 
a heavy fleece, deprived of the defence of horns, 
and rendered flow, heavy, and feeble, it finds no 
other fafety than what it derives from man; and 
muft now rely folely on that art for prote6lion to 
which it originally owed it's degradation. 
But nature is not to be blamed for the produc- 
tion of an animal fo utterly incapable of defending 
itfe^jlf. The moufflon, which is the Sheep in afa- 
vage fcate, is a bold and fleet animal; it can ef- 
cape by it's fwiftnefs from the mofl: powerful of 
it's enemies; and to the weaker it can oppofe the 
arms with which it is provided by nature. Hu- 
man art alone has rendered the Sheep that tardy, 
defencelefs creature, we now find it. Every race 
of quadrupeds might eafily be corrupted by the 
fame allureinents with which the Sheep has been 
thus debilitated and depreiled. While undi- 
fturbed, and properly fupplied, none of them know 
any bounds to their appetites : they all purfue their 
food while able, and continue to graze till they 
often die of diforders arifing from obefity. But, 
in a ftate of nature, it is far otherwifc: they are 
then furrounded with dangers in the foreft, and 
alarmed with unceafing hoftilities; they are daily 
purfued from one tra6l of country to another; and 
fpend a confidcrablc part of their time in attempt- 
ing to avoid their foes. By this excrcife, and a 
continual praftice of the arts of defence and 
efcape, they preferve their lives and native inde- 
pendence, as well as their flcetnefs and activity. 
In it's fervile ftate, the Sheep appears to be the 
moft ftupid of all animals. Every other quadru- 
ped has a peculiar turn of countenance, Vv'hich ge- 
nerally marks it's nature: but the Sheep feems to 
have none of thofe traits which indicate either 
courage or cunning; it appears a large mafs of 
flefh, fupported on four fmall ftraight legs, ill- 
adapted for fupporting fuch a burden; it is auk- 
ward in it's motions, eafily fatigued, and frequently 
finks under the weight of it's own corpulency. 
Such Sheep as feed on the moft luxuriant paftures, 
arc duller and heavier than others, becoming en-- 
tirely feeble; thofe without horns are alfo more 
fluggifli than the reft ; and fuch as have the longeft 
and fincft fleeces, arc fubjedt to the greateft num- 
3 Z ber 
