Syst. Nat. Gmelin. i. 197. D. 1. Vertebrata. Cl. 1. Mammalia. Ord.7. Ruminantia. Cuvier. G.31. Horns concave, rough, inclined outwards, and spirally twisted. Cutting Teeth eight in the lower jaw. Tusks none. Species 1. O. Aries.2 The Sheep. Buffon, Hist. Nat. v. p. I.

t.1, 2. Officinal. Sevum, Lond. Adeps ovillus, Edin, Dub. Mutton suet.

Syn. Graissc de Mouton (F.), Hammeltalg (G.), Grasse duro (I.), Grassa (S.), Aatoo kalupoo (Tam.), Lemak (Malay), Elloomusstail (Cyng.), Addjavuppa (Sans.).

The sheep is too well known to require any description. It is an inhabitant of almost every climate, and delights in dry, saline, moderately elevated and warm pastures. It is the most innocent, simple, and timid of quadrupeds; scarcely ever living beyond fourteen years of age; yet liable to many diseases. There are several natural varieties of the sheep in the British Islands, the largest of which is found in Lincolnshire, and the smallest in Zetland; and the number of these is much increasing by the cross breeds, which, for the improvement of the wool and flesh, are annually effected. Mutton is less dense than beef, very digestible and wholesome, and is at its greatest perfection when about five years old. It is very much improved by the castration of the animal, and is then called wether-mutton. The broth made of it does not agree so well as light beef tea, or veal-tea, with delicate and weakened stomachs; but it forms an excellent emollient enema, in cases of ulceration, or abrasion of the rectum, and that state of the bowels of infants which occasions green stools andaphthae.1 The suet, which is the officinal part of the animal, is chiefly obtained from about the kidneys and loins.

1 Beckman's Observations. Phil. May. vi. 97. In Scotland, oysters laid down to feed near the salt-works on the shore attain a large size, and a great richness of flavour; they are called Pandoors, and are much esteemed,

Aristot. Hist, Animal, v. cap. 11.

Qualities.-Suet is the most consistent of the real animal fats. It is white, has some degree of brittleness, is inodorous, and requires a temperature of 127°. Fahrenheit to melt it. When distilled, it yields a large portion of oleic and margaritic acids. In other respects, it agrees with the other animal fats. (See the qualities of fat under Susscrofa.)

Medical properties and uses.-Like the other fats, suet is emollient. It is sometimes boiled in milk, in the proportion of ij. of the suet to O j. of milk; and a cupful of the mixture may be administered in chronic diarrhoea, when there is much acrimony of the contents of the bowels; but its principal use is to give consistence to ointments and plasters.