Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-09-26

bunch is about all that the genius Of
man or dog can handle to advantage.
During certain seasons OF the year
the bucks are punched together by
themselves, and these are the woolly
folk who furnish the entertainment
All day long they fight sham duels
with each other, and every waking
moment in the twenty-four hours
will offer the onlooker spectacle OF
full thirty of these combats raging
at time. The sheep seem to have
a fashion OF code, and conduct these
affairs OF honor with great deal OF
order and decorum.
/. They are never for blood, and re-
semble sparring match for points
between boxers, or joust with
blunted spears between knights OF
olden time. AS you watch the flock
grazing along your eye will be
aroused to some buck, who suddenly
ceases feeding and stands for mo-
ment in thoughtful attitude. 1t
has suddenly occurred to this cham
pion that he would enjoy brief bunt-
ing bout, and he looks up and down
the block for an adversary.
Having selected his fellow duelist,
he walks toward him with very dig
nified, almost naughty air. The buck
honored by his notice raises his head
as he is approached and looks at the
other with great calmness. The par
ticular merino who is resolved on
trouble goes quite close to the other,
and in stiff, formal way strikes him
once or twice with his fore foot. This
hoof manoeuvre would seem to.be the
challenge.
The buck thus tapped, and the
blow is bestowed somewhere about
the fore legs, bows profoundly, as il
in naughty acquiescence, and begins
to back slowly away. The challenger
does the same. When they have
separated to q distance of about
thirty yards, they will spring into
the air once or twice, in stiff legged
way, as II testing their thews. Hav-
ing satisfied themselves that they
are decidedly in working order, and
as IL with the same impulse, they
lower their heads and rush at each
other.
They meet half way with q crash
which may be heard across the
plains for mile. and each buck is
so severely jolted as to be driven
backward several feet. Bowling with
great Difference to each other. they
then retreat backward as they did
before, AMI to about the same dis
lance, and charge again. Their woolly
pates will crash together a second
time, after which they will retreat
for a third. Before one or the other
is entirely satisfied they will run
some six or seven OF these courses.
At last one will signify in digni-
fled way, and by simply turning his
attention to cropping the grass, that
he doesn't care for any more exercise
of that sort at that time. His adver-
sary may feel like another bunt, but
he never urges his wish, and il there
is still any combat in him, which
must be worked off, he hunts another
sheep. Sometimes when two bucks
are pulling of duel some other buck
will be attracted by the sight.
Without asking anybody's permits
sion he will lower his head and
charge with the others. Instead Of
duel there will be trio. Oc-
casionally fourth, even fifth, will
take part, and as many as eight
bucks have been seen all hilariously
charging for common center in the
fashion of a woolly Denny brook fair.
These buck tournaments appear to
afford the sheep great satisfaction.
They conduct them with gravity, and
as none of them ever get hurt, and
all of them seem much refreshed
thereby, the sheep herders never in
terfere.