600 
MISCELLANEA. 
Instinct of Sheep. 
There is no class of animals under the immediate care and pro- 
tection of man endowed with so keen perceptions of the tempera- 
ture of the air, and of the changes that are preparing, as sheep are. 
Many a time have I seen them hastening away from exposed and 
shelterless places at night, and crowding near a place of safety, 
when I could not discern a single warning of danger, and not a 
cloud was to be seen. In 1796 I had left about fifteen scores of 
sheep in a tried and proven shelter for a S.W. wind, not too 
strong. I had frequently left them there before, and I never 
missed to find them safe and comfortable. It was growing dark, 
and I was plodding my weary way homeward, through a very 
heavy snow, knee-deep ; but before distance and darkness closed 
them from my sight, I looked back to see if they had given over 
work (ceased to dig for their food), when I was surprised to see 
them on their march down hill for a small plantation, where they 
had been accustomed to be stalled when the wind blew from the 
snowy points. It first occurred to me that a wild beast had passed 
near them ; but I soon understood by their bleating, and falling 
into rows one behind the other, that the movement was sponta- 
neous and general. They had a rough flat plain to cross before 
they reached the plantation. It was mossy, and deep with snow, 
and a heavy fall of snow continued to drive on them ; yet through 
all these obstacles they forced their way. There was nothing that 
could suggest a drift to my mind but the movement and bleating 
of the sheep. They took their route for that side of the plantation 
where was a safe shelter from a S.W. hurricane. But though 
their instinct admonished them that a tempest was impending, they 
knew not from what quarter it would blow, and the angry East 
and N.E. were mustering up a dreadful storm, against which, 
in that situation, they had no defence. I did not see them till ten 
o’clock on the next day. The wreath which had accumulated 
itself against the dyke was piled higher than the dyke itself, and 
was leaning over upon the trees : some of the strongest of the 
sheep had still kept treading down the snow as it gathered around 
them, and were on the top of the wreath ; but many clusters of 
them, farther back, were quite immersed under the snow. What 
with probing and digging, I got them all out except two hogs that 
had been crushed by the weight of the snow and their comrades 
struggling above them. — Farm . Mag . Feb. 24, p. 25. 
