tion and difcuffion. Three of thefe effays were printed in The Bee; two more are now first published; and the five appear here, in the fhape of appendices to the papers of Arcticus; which form the body of the work.

In the tract, collectively, we have a fund of information respecting this most valuable animal, which we had not conceived it poffible to have collected together at this time. We had no conception of sheep being, at this day, any where existing in a state of nature: but, true it appears to be that a Species of fheep is now found in the most perfect state of wildnefs: not in one particular state or region, but in different and diftant countries.-This fpecies, however, differs fo widely from the fheep of England and of the fouth of Europe, that we cannot readily admit it as the one fole parent of fheep; as Dr. Pallas declares it to be. Nevertheless, we can easily conceive that the fheep of Shetland, the native fheep of Scotland, and of the northern kingdoms of the Continent, may be lineal defcendants of what Dr. P. ftyles Quis Fera, Siberian Argali, or WILD SHEEP; of which we have the following defcription by Areticus:

I fhall begin my paper with a general defcription of this animal, as it appears to be the parent of all our domeftic varieties of theep, however changed by fervitude, climate, food, &c. in the hands of man; but it would fwell this differtation to a volume, to enter into its diffection, and all the other minutie of zoology, with my learned friend. The fame obfervation is applicable to the many phyfiological and anatomical inquiries with which his notes are enriched, but which I have taken the liberty only to give an outline of, with the conclufions he draws from them; and even that I prefume is fully as much as will fall into the plan of the fociety, or fuit the bounds allotted to papers in the Bee; but the curious inquirer may have recourse for that species of information to Dr. Pallas's learned work, his Spicilegia Zoologica, fafciculus undecimus, printed at Berlin in 1776.

Dr. Pallas found the ovis fera, or wild fheep, in all its native vigour, boldness, and activity, inhabiting the vast chain of mountains which run through the centre of Afia to the eastern sea, and the branches which it fends off to Great Tartary, China, and the Indies.

This wild animal which our learned naturalift declares to be the mufimon of Pliny, and the ophion of the Greeks, is called argali by the Siberians, which means wild fheep; and by the Ruffians kamennoi barann, or sheep of the rocks, from its ordinary place of abode.

It delights in the bare rocks of the Afiatic chain just mentioned, where it is conftantly found basking in the fun; but it avoids the woods of the mountains, and every other object that would intercept the direct rays of the glorious luminary.

Its food is the Alpine plants and fhrubs it finds amongst the rocks. The argali prefers a temperate climate, although he does not difdain. that of Afiatic Siberia, as he there finds his favourite bare rocks, funshine, and Alpine plants; nay it is even found in the cold eastern extremity

13

tremity of Siberia and Kamtshatka, which plainly proves that nature has given a moft extenfive range to the fheep in a wild state, equal even to what the has given to man, the lord of the creation; a fact that ought to make us flow in believing the affertions hinted at in my introduction, which tend to prove the fheep a local animal; or at least confined to certain latitudes, to poffefs it in all its value *.

The argali loves folitude, or poffibly perfect liberty, and therefore flees the haunts of all-fubduing man; hence it gradually abandons a country in proportion as it becomes peopled, if no unfurmountable object obftructs its flight; infomuch that Dr. Pallas thinks that nothing but the furrounding fea can account for the wild sheep being found in an inhabited ifland; as is fometimes the cafe.

The ewe of the argali brings forth before the melting of the fnow. Her lamb resembles much a young kid; except that they have a large flat protuberance inftead of horns, and that they are covered with a woolly hair frizzled and of a dark grey. There is no animal fo fhy as the argali, which it is almoft impoffible to overtake on fuch ground as it keeps to. When purfued it does not run ftreight forward, but doubles and turns like a hare, at the fame time that it fcrambles up, and over the rocks with wonderful agility. In the fame proportion that the adult argali is wild and untameable, the lamb is easy to same when taken young, and fed firft on milk, and afterwards on fodder, like the domestic sheep, as has been found on numerous experiments made in the Ruflian fettlements in these parts.

This animal formerly frequented the regions about the upper Irtish, and fome other parts of Siberia, where it is no longer feen fince colonies have been fettled in these countries. It is common in the Mongalian, Songarian, and Tartarian mountains, where it enjoys its favourite folitude or liberty. The argali is found likewife on the banks of the Lena, up as high as 60 degrees of north latitude; and it propagates its fpecies even in Kamtchatka, as noticed before. The doctor gives us a defcription of a young argali ram of that country, which he took from Steller's zoological manufcript, a naturalift who had been fent in a former reign to explore the wilds of Siberia.

The argali is alfo found in the mountains of Perfia, of which variety we have a stuffed fkin in the museum of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, fent here by Gmelin, who travelled about the fame time with Pailas; and one of that laft mentioned gentleman from Dauria, of which he has given a general defcription whilft alive, to be feen at the end of this article; although he had not then fufficient leifure to be fo particular as he has been in the defcription of a female argali, (likewife tranflated in this article,) although not with all the minuteness of the doctor's zoological accuracy; for the reafons given above.

*We learn from Bruce's Travels, or rather we have there a confirmation of what was known long ago, that the horfe is a native of a very hot climate, and is found in his greatest beauty, activity, fire, &c. between the latitudes 20° and 36°; yet there is no part of the world where that noble animal is reared in greater perfection than in "Great Britain, where by croffing the breed, you have obtained all the qualities of the different races united into one.'

< The

The fame wild animal is also said to obtain in the Kuril islands in great fize and beauty.'

The fubje&s of Dr. Anderfon's Appendices are,

Appendix First. On what are called varieties or different breeds of domeftic animals.

Appendix Second. On the effect of climate in altering the quality of wool.

• Parallel between wool, hair, &c. and vegetables.

• Of the influence of heat or cold on the animal filament itself. Of heat as producing a permanent variation of fleece of the individual theep.

Of heat, as affecting the progeny of such sheep, as have been fubjected to its powerful influence.

Appendix Third. Enquiries concerning the change produced on animals by means of food and management.

• Appendix Fourth. Catalogue of fur-bearing animals that might be introduced into Britain.

Appendix Fifth. Directions for choofing fheep and other woolbearing animals fo as to obtain the best individuals of each breed.' The several subjects are treated with that close attention and nice difcrimination which mark in legible characters, Dr. A.'s talent for scientific difcuffion.

We do not mean to speak of any man as perfect and infallible: but, when we find only a few imperfections, we confider a work as allied to excellency. In the tract before us, (we speak of the editor's own remarks,) we meet with few defects, indeed, which demand our attention: there is one, however, which requires notice.

Dr. Pallas accounts for the fatty substance about the tail, which characterizes a particular breed or fpecies of Afiatic fheep, by the bitter faline paftures' on which they have been accustomed to feed. Dr. Anderson properly doubts the influence of faline paftures, but adds; of the effects of bitter pastures on the growth of fheep, we can have little experience in Britain; as few of thefe bitter plants abound in any of our fbeep-walks. In North Britain they may not: but in England, and in nearly every part of it, they are moft abundant. On commons of

cooler moisture, the chamomile, the dwarf willow, &c. &c. are frequent on the drier downs, and upland paftures, the wormwood, horehound, and gentian prevail; and, on the richer lands, the dandelion, hawkweeds, agrimony, and a variety of other bitter plants, are abundant. We are clearly of opinion, however, that neither the falt marfhes with which this island may be faid to be environed, nor the bitter graffes of the higher grounds, have any effect in changing the form of sheep.

On other opinions and hypothefes of Dr. Pallas, we could have faid much, had not Dr. Anderfon's remarks precluded us. They are fuch, we do not hesitate to fay, as render his tract

highly

highly interefting to every man who enjoys his mutton, or experiences the comforts of warm clothing; and more especially to him who is concerned in the propagation and management of this most useful and profitable animal.

ART. X. A General View of the Fishery of Great Britain, drawn up for the Confideration of the Undertakers of the North British Fishing, lately begun for promoting the general Utility of the Inhabitants and Empire at large. By the Rev. John Lanne Buchanan. 8vo. pp. 253. 55. Boards. Kay, &c.

THI

*HIS is an irregular performance, requiring fome exertion and perfeverance to be rightly eftimated. Superficial readers will probably throw it afide, as the effufion of difappointment, refentment, or a warped understanding: but, among much extraneous matter, thrown together in a strange manner, we find some valuable materials, which a more skilful workman would have readily formed into a goodly edifice. Mr. Lanne Buchanan, however, feems to be more the matter-offact-man than the author.

Conceiving the fisheries of the British Coafts to be of the greatest importance to the lafting profperity of the nation, we think it right to give the tract before us a more confpicuous place in our miscellany, than it would have merited as a literary performance.

As Mr. Buchanan paffed fome years in the Hebrides in character of miffionary*; made himself perfonally acquainted with fishermen and the nature of fishing; and is himself a subscriber to the fund of the British Fishing Society, eftablished a few years ago; we confider him as entitled to attention,

The author's profeffed object is to cenfure the managers of the fociety's affairs; and, though he may have been led, in fome few inftances, to a degree of rancour, yet he preffes forward a host of facts, from which we apprehend it will be difficult for the directors to shield themfelves. He fets out with the origin of former British fishing companies, points out the prudent fteps which thefe companies took to obtain the defired. end, marks the caufes which defeated their good intentions, and enumerates the advantages which have followed, notwithtanding that the main object has invariably miscarried. He next inquires into the origin of the Dutch fisheries, dwells on their careful mode of conducting their bufinefs,' and fums up the advantages and difadvantages arifing to them from their fteady perfeverance in carrying on the fisheries:' taking every opportunity, however, of abufing the Mynheers, as if they

• See M. Rev. vol. xii. p. 154, for his Travels in the Hebrides.

had

had been engaged in fome private difpute about what might be called the Dutch Scotch fishery; difgraceful enough, perhaps, so this nation, and redounding, in like proportion, to the Dutch commercial credit and political wifdom.

After having given an abftract of the act for incorporating the British Fishing Society, Mr. B. proceeds to fhew that ⚫ the ftations marked out by the managers are not the best for the purpose of extenfive fishing'-' that the ablest and most experienced fifhers are not to be found where the villages have been erected that the fish are elsewhere more numerous, and vaftly fuperior in quality to the different kinds catched around the villages erected by the undertakers: in fhort, that the infpectors of the proper fifhing ftations have been mifled in their choice: finally entering into what he calls a modeft. enquiry into the expenditure of the public money, and how far the managers acted from principles of found policy: adding, however, to this finale, a conclufion and a postscript.

The charges of weight brought against the Company are,firft, that of mif-judgment in pitching on the scene of action, which ought to have been in the Hebrides, not on the main land of Scotland; and, fecondly, that of beginning at the wrong end of their work, by expending the monies fubfcribed in erecting coftly buildings, inftead of laying it out in veffels and tackle to catch fish :

It is granted, that ftore-houfes and fome leffer houses for the active fifhers are, as they formerly were,, abfolutely necessary to begin with any probable degree of feeming fuccefs but great coftly buildings for Collectors, Comptrollers, and even large public-houfes, might have been at first wanted, until the number of fishers were able to defray part of the expences, at leaft, to the Company by their fuceffful fishing.'

Befides these palpable errors of the Company, Mr. B. points out fome errors of Government; and, among the reft, the fol lowing; which, we think with him, deferve ferious confideration, and call aloud for redrefs :'

• What added greatly to the hurt of the fishing trade in Scotland in thefe latter times, appears to have arifen from the regulations and heavy restrictions refpecting foreign and home made falt. Thefe are particularly hurtful to the idles, without ftorehoufes to fupply them with falt in their neighbourhood; and the poor inhabitants or fifhers are incapable of procuring it, from its extravagant price when fold by merchants, and its immenfe diftance to purchase that article at first hand, where it may be had at a moderate price. This circumftance deferves ferious confideration.

All herrings cured for home fale are subject to a duty of one fhilling per barrel if ufed in Scotland; and only three pence and four pence if used in England; which heavy duty muft greatly retard the

fisheries,