CONTENTS 
OF 
VOLUME II. 
III.—THE SHEEP. 
HISTOKY. 
The Species of the Ovine family existing in a wild state.—Opinions re¬ 
garding the original of the Domestic Sheep.—The Sheep subjected 
to domestication from periods seemingly coeval with human societies. 
-—Supposed diffusion of the races of Sheep from a common centre. 
—Early knowledge of the people of the East of the loom, and the 
art of dyeing.—Natural characters of the Sheep, and its habits 
under the influence of domestication.—The Wool of Sheep ; its pro¬ 
perties and colour.—Diversities of the races of Sheep.—The Broad¬ 
tailed Sheep of Western Asia; the Steatopyga, or Fat-rumped 
Sheep of the countries of the Caspian; the Sheep of Persia, of the 
shores of the Red Sea, of Tartary, and Northern Europe.—The 
Sheep of European Turkey, and Greece, of Wallachia and the coun¬ 
tries of the Danube, of ancient and modern Italy, of Spain, of the 
British Islands, .... Pages 1-6 
1. —BREEDS OF THE ZETLAND AND ORKNEY ISLANDS. 
These wild Sheep a variety of the Short-tailed race of Northern Europe; 
possessed of a fur consisting partly of hair and partly of fine wool. 
—Food, habits, and treatment of Sheep ; their comparative econo¬ 
mical value; and the means which exist of improving them, 7-8 
2. —THE BREED OF THE HIGHER WELSH MOUNTAINS. 
Distinct from the Short-tailed race of the Zetland Islands ; its small 
size, wild habits, and rude condition.—'Causes why it remains dis¬ 
tinct from the other races of the country.—Change of form by be¬ 
ing naturalized in a lower range of pastures.—Connection of other 
Sheep of Wales with the wild race of the mountains, . 9—10 
3.—THE SOFT-WOOLLED SHEEP OF WALES. 
Distinct from the race of the Higher Mountains.—Description of the 
Breed; its diminutive size, and wild and restless habits; the ex¬ 
cellence of its mutton, and softness of its wool.—The Anglesea 
and Old Radnor Breeds.—The means of improving the Sheep- 
husbandry of Wales, by crossing the native breeds, or the substi¬ 
tution of superior races, . . . 11—12 
4.—THE BREED OF THE WICKLOW MOUNTAINS. 
Adaptation of the soil and climate of Ireland to the rearing of Sheep.— 
The breeds of the country divided into those of the mountains and 
those of the plains.—Description of the Breed of the Wicklow 
Mountains ; its affinity with the Soft-woolled Sheep of Wales; its 
small size, wild habits, and the good quality of its mutton.—Pro¬ 
perties of the females, and adaptation to the rearing of House-Lambs. 
—Continual diminution in number of the pure breed by neglect, 
and the effects of crossing, . . . 13—14 
5.—THE KERRY BREED. 
Naturalized in the humid mountains of the west of Ireland.—Descrip¬ 
tion of the Breed; its size larger than that of the breeds of Wales ; 
the wildness of its temper ; its wool largely mixed with hair, and 
its form more nearly resembling the antelopes, than any other race 
of British Sheep.—Notices of the former state of Ireland; of the 
changes which it has undergone by the destruction of its forests ; 
of the defective relations between landlord and tenant; and the ef¬ 
fects on the cultivation of Sheep, the progress of industry, and the 
condition of the rural population, . . . 15—16 
6. —THE FOREST BREEDS OF ENGLAND. 
Ancient forests of England ; their great extent, and progressive dimi¬ 
nution.—General characters of the races of Sheep inhabiting the 
forests.—The Breeds of Exmoor and Dartmoor, producing a long 
soft wool, like that of the Sheep of Wales, and noted for the excel¬ 
lence of their mutton.—Description of these Breeds.—Diminution 
of their numbers by the effects of crossing, or the substitution of 
superior races.—Notices of other Forest Breeds now disappearing or 
extinct, ..... 17-18 
7. —THE BLACK-FACED HEATH BREED. 
Page. 
Derived from the heathy hills stretching from Derbyshire northwards, 
and now extended over all the higher mountains of Scotland.—De¬ 
scription of the Breed ; its distinctive characters; its boldness, hardi¬ 
ness, and adaptation to a country of heaths.—Nature of its wool, 
approaching more to the character of hair than that of any other 
of the native races.—Methods of rearing and treating these Sheep 
in the mountainous countries which they inhabit.—Economical 
importance of the breed, and the means of improving it, 19-22 
8.—THE CHEVIOT BREED. 
Derivation from a range of grassy mountains in the north of England; 
distinct from the Black-faced Heath Breed; bearing fine wool, and 
resembling in its form the races of the lower country.—Description 
of the Cheviot Breed; its hardiness, adaptation to a country of 
mountains where the grasses are produced, and its wide diffusion.— 
The modes of rearing and treating the Sheep in the countries where 
they are cultivated.—'The modes of improving the mountain pas¬ 
tures of these Sheep; and adding to the supplies of food, by en¬ 
closing, by the planting of wood, by the forming of pens for shelter, 
by draining, and by irrigation.—The terrible tempests and falls of 
snow in these elevated countries ; the danger to the animals, and 
the means of protection.—The great economical importance of this 
breed, and the modes of improving it.—The intermixture of the 
blood of other races, and the effects, . . 23-30 
9.—THE OLD NORFOLK BREED. 
Derivation of the Old Norfolk Breed from the high lands of Suffolk, 
Norfolk, and Cambridge.—Description of the Breed; its affinity in 
general characters with the Black-faced Heath Breed, but with a 
difference in the nature of the wool, which is hairy in the one race, 
and soft and fitted for felting in the other.—The useful qualities 
of the breed, and its defects.—The system of crossing, for the pur¬ 
pose of obtaining lambs superior to the native stock,—and the 
effects of this system in diminishing the number of the pure breed.— 
