The name Merino, which marks a particular kind of sheep, signifies, in Spain, "wandering," and is highly descriptive of the habits of these animals, which do not always remain in the same farm or the same province, but travel from one to another.

Towards the beginning of May, nearly five millions of sheep leave the plains of Estremadura, Andalusia, Old and New Castille, and Leon, and are conducted by shepherds to the mountains of the two Castilles, of Biscay, Navarre, and even Arragon. On these more elevated spots they find a fresher herbage, less dried up by the burning sun, which in summer destroys all verdure in the plains. The high ground near Segovia is very much frequented by the sheep.