land, is supposed to be about five millions sterling; and, when manufactured conjointly with the Spanish wool imported, amounting to about fix hundred thousand pounds, must be above twenty millions.

Like other ruminating animals, the Sheep wants the upper fore teeth: It has eight in the lower jaw; two of which drop out, and are replaced at two years old; four of them are renewed at three years, and the remainder at the age of four.

The Ewe produces one or two lambs at a time, and fometimes, though rarely, three or four. She bears her young five months, and brings forth in the spring*.. The Ram lives to the age of about fifteen years, and begins to procreate at one. When caftrated, they are called Wedders. They then grow fooner fat; and the flesh becomes finer and better flavoured.

There is hardly any part of this animal that is not ferviceable to man: Of the fleece we make our cloaths; the skin produces leather, of which are made gloves, parchment, and covers for books; the entrails are formed into ftrings for fiddles and other mufical inftruments, likewise coverings for whips; its milk affords both butter and cheese; and its flesh is a delicate and wholefome food.

The following remarks, taken from Mr Cully's "Obfervations on Live Stock," will not be unacceptable to

An Ewe of the fmall black-faced Scotch breed, produced two ewe lambs before she had compleated her first year; and before the end of the fecond year, these two produced each of them two lambs alfo. It is a remarkable circumftance, that this great increase took place in the coldest and most mountainous part of Northumberland; and it is further necessary to obferve, that this breed of Sheep seldom produces more than one Lamb at a time, and that not till they are two years of age.

D

many of our readers, as they convey a juft idea of fome of the most noted kinds of Sheep at this time in the ifland. He begins with those of Lincolnshire, which are of a large fize, big-boned, and afford a greater quantity of wool than any other kind, owing to the rich, fat marshes on which they feed; but their flesh is coarse, leaner, and not fo finely flavoured as that of fmaller Sheep. The fame breed extends, with fome variations, through most of the midland counties of England.-But the largest breed of Sheep, in this ifland, is to be met with on the banks of the Tees, which runs through a rich and fertile country, dividing the two counties of Yorkshire and Durham. This kind differs from the preceding, in their wool not being so long and heavy; their legs are longer, but finer boned, and support a thicker, firmer carcafe; their flesh is likewife much fatter, and finer grained. These Sheep weigh from twenty-five to forty-five pounds per quarter; fome have been fed to fifty pounds; and one in particular was killed, which weighed fixty-two pounds ten ounces per quarter, avoirdupois-a circumftance never before heard of in this ifland. The Ewes of this breed generally bring forth two lambs each season; fometimes three, four, and even five. As an instance of extraordinary fecundity, it deferves to be mentioned, that one of these Ewes, at the age of two years, brought forth four lambs at one time; the next season five,—both within eleven months.---The Dorsetshire breed is likewife remarkably prolific, the Ewes being capable of bringing forth twice a year. It is from thefe, that the tables of our nobility and gentry are supplied with early lamb at Christmas, or fooner if required. Great numbers of those early victims to luxury are yearly fent to the London markets, where they are fold at the enormous price

of 10s. 6d. or perhaps 15 s. per quarter.-The manner of rearing the lambs is curious: They are imprisoned in little dark cabins; the Ewes are fed with oil-cakes, hay, corn, turnips, cabbages, or any other food which the feafon of the year affords; these are given them in a field contiguous to the apartments where the lambs are kept; and, at proper intervals, the nurses are brought in to give fuck to their young ones; while the attendants, at the fame time, make their lodgings perfectly clean, and litter them with fresh straw. Great attention is paid to this, as much of the success of rearing these unfeasonable productions depends upon warmth and cleanliness.

The Dorsetshire Sheep are moftly white-faced; their legs are long and fmall; and great numbers of them have no wool upon their bellies, which gives them an uncouth appearance. They produce a fmall quantity of wool, but of a good quality, from which our fine Wiltshire cloths are made. The mutton of thefe Sheep is very fweet and well flavoured.-The variations of this breed are fpread through most of the fouthern counties; but the true kind is only to be found in Dorsetshire and Wiltshire. There is a breed, not unlike this, in Norfolk and Suffolk; but they are all grey or black-faced.

THE BLACK-FACED RAM.

The north-weft part of Yorkshire, with all that mountainous tract of country running towards Lancashire fouthward, and to Fort William northward, is occupied by a hardy, black-faced, wild-looking tribe, generally called fhort Sheep, which differ from our other breeds. not only in the darkness of their complexions and horns, but principally in the coarfe fhaggy wool which they produce. Their eyes have a very fharp and wild caft. They run with great agility, and feem quite adapted to the heathy mountains they inhabit. Their flesh is peculiarly fine and high-flavoured. The three great fairs for thefe Sheep (where amazing numbers of them are fold every year) are, Stagfhawbank in Northumberland, Brough in Weftmorland, and Linton in Scotland.-----There is likewife a breed of Sheep inhabiting the same country as the former; but peculiarly diftinguished from them by long, thin bodies, white legs, white faces, and by having no horns. Their wool is fine, and thickly planted.

The Sheep in the low parts of Northumberland are of a mixed breed, between the long kind, the Tees water, and the Lincolnshire.-The mug or muff kind was formerly common in that country. They were fo called, from their wool growing round their heads into their very eyes, fo as almoft to prevent them from feeing.— This breed is now nearly exploded, being confidered, by every breeder of experience, as unprofitable, from their thriving flowly, and being very tender.

In the northern diftricts of Scotland, and in many of the islands, there is a breed of Sheep, which differs from the others in the fmallness of their fize; many of them, when fed, weighing no more than fix, seven, or cight pounds per quarter. They have dun faces, without horns; and their wool, which is very fine, is variously mixed, and streaked with black, brown, and red.