OF SCOTLAND.

115

ties, particularly of some of the Shetland sheep, seems toprove, however, that neither the climate, nor the pasture ofthe Northern Isles, are unfavourable to the growth of finewool. The immense improvement which may in time be ef-fected in the fleeces of the sheep of the north of Scotland , byjudicious crosses with a fine close-woolled race, and the vastadvantages that would result from it to the proprietors andthe public at large, cannot easily be calculated. It is per-haps not too rash to observe, that had the same attentionbeen every where paid to the fleece of this native race, thathas been given to the form of some other breeds, there wouldhave been no occasion at this time, for importing Spanish andother wools, unless perhaps a little of the very finest quality.It is in such situations as the north of Scotland , and not onthe finer pastures of the low country, where the quality ofthe fleece ought always to be a subordinate consideration tothe weight of the carcase, that experiments should be madewith a fine-woolled breed of sheep.

SECT. II.

THE BLACK-FACED MOUNTAIN BREED.

TRese sheep are commonly known in Scotland by the ap-pellation of the Iweeddale , Linton , or Blackfaced breed, and,ln contradistinction to the Cheviot, by the name of the Shortsheep. They are also denominated the heath and mountainbreed, from the general character of their pastures. Differ-ent varieties of them are to be found in all the western coun-ties of England and Scotland, from Yorkshire , northwards.The best stocks occupy the counties of Peebles or Tweed -aal c, Dumbarton, Stirling ^ and part of Dumfries-shire,