114

ON THE LIVE-STOCK

the year, the attention bestowed on the flocks, by a greatmany proprietors in Shetland , is hardly worth mentioning.The sheep of one pasture generally herd together, althoughoften the property of a hundred different individuals. Theyare known by marks cut upon their ears, every different pro-prietor having a different mark. I have seen in a flock ofsixty ewes no less than twenty rams, the very worst in theflock both for size and colour, some of them carrying thecoarsest wool, and sometimes of two or three different co-lours. The best lambs are cut, and the worst kept forbreeders

By this treatment, these sheep, which might probably be ren-dered highly valuable, arc more and more deteriorated everyyear. A few proprietors in Orkney, however, Mr MalcolmLaing in particular, have of late paid considerable attentionto the improvement of their sheep, and it may be expectedthat their example will in time produce a happy effect on thegeneral management.

Two uncommon circumstances regarding the Shetland sheep deserve to be noticed. The first is their knowledgeof the times, when the sea-weed may be procured, which isoften their chief dependence when the ground is covered withsnow. “ Immediately upon the tide beginning to fall, thesheep in one body run directly down to the sea-shores, al-though feeding on hills several miles distant from the sea,where they remain until the tide returns, when they returnback to their usual haunts.” The other circumstance istheir being remarkably prolific, notwithstanding their severeprivations and bad treatment. Ttvo lambs at a birth arecommon. In one small island, “ I have seen,” says Mr John-ston, “ 27 ewes having 54 lambs, each of which sold for7 s. a-head.”

The produce of this breed, managed in so barbarous amanner, must be inconsiderable both to the owner and occu-pier of the soil. The fineness of the wool, of all the varie-

* Report to the British Wool Society by Thomas Johnston, already quoted.