110
ON THE LIVE-STOCK
other, and in all these respects are very different from theother breeds of sheep in Scotland .
“ The Hebridean sheep is the smallest animal of its kind.It is of a thin lank shape, and has usually straight shorthorns. The face and legs are white, the tail very short, andthe wool of various colours, sometimes of a bluish grey,brown, or deep russet, and sometimes all these colours meetin the fleece of one animal. Where the pasture and ma-nagement are favourable, the wool is very fine, resembling insoftness that of Shetland ; but in other parts of the sameislands, the wool is stunted and coarse, the animal sickly andpuny, and frequently carries four or even six horns.”
“ The average weight of this poor breed, even when fat,is only 5 or 5-4 lbs. per quarter, or nearly about 20 lbs. persheep. It is often much less, only amounting to 15 or 16 lbs.;and the price of the animal’s carcase, skin and all, is from10 s. to 14 s. We have seen fat wedders sold in the LongIsland at 7 s. a-liead, and ewes at 5 s. or 6 s. The quantityof wool which the fleece yields, is equally contemptible withthe weight of the carcase. It rarely exceeds one poundweight, and is often short of even half that quantity. Thequality of the wool is different on different parts of the body;and inattention to separating the fine from the coarse, ren-ders the cloth made in the Hebrides very unequal and pre-carious in its texture. The average value of a fleece of thisaboriginal Hebridean breed, is from 8 d. to 1 s. Sterling.From this account, it is plain that the breed in question hasevery chance of being, speedily extirpated
Notwithstanding the opinion of this writer, and of the lateDr Walker from whom he transcribes, there is reason to doubtwhether this ancient breed is quite so contemptible. Bothof them consider it the same with that of the Shetland Isles ,of which a much more favourable account has been given byone “ who had the charge of flocks for many years, and be-