280 
SHEEP, 
danger is more alarming, they have recourse to the 
collected strength of the whole flock. On such 
occasions they draw up into a complete body, 
placing the females and young in the centre, whilst 
thes males take the foremost ranks, keeping close * 
by each other. Thus an armed front is presented 
on all quarters, that cannot easily be attacked 
without danger of destruction to the assailant. 
In this manner they wait with firmness the ap~ 
p roach of the enemy ; nor does their courage 
fail them in the moment of attack ; for, when 
the aggressor advances within a few yards of the 
line, the rams dart upon him with such impetu- 
osity as to lay him dead at their feet, unless he 
judiciously saves himself by timely flight. Against 
the attacks of single dogs or foxes, when in this 
situation, they are perfectly secure.— A single ram, 
regardless of danger, will often engage a bull ; 
and his forehead being much harder than that of 
any other animal, be seldom fails to conquer ; 
for the bull, by lowering his bead, receives the 
stroke of the rain between his eyes, which usually 
brings him to the ground. 
The sheep in the mountainous parts of Wales, 
where the liberty they enjoy is so great as to ren- 
der them very wild, do not always collect into 
large flocks, but sometimes graze in parties of 
from eight to a dozen, of which one is stationed 
at a distance from the rest, to give notice of the 
approach of danger. When the centinel observes 
any one advancing at the distance of two or three 
hundred yards, he turns his face to the enemy, 
keeping a watchful eye upon his motions, allow- 
ing him to approach as near as eighty or a hundred 
yards ; but, when the suspected foe manifests a 
design of coming nearer, the watchful guard 
alarms his comrades by a loud hiss or whistle, 
twice or thrice repeated, when the whole party 
