He knew that the shepherds were not best pleased with his depredations and would probably be a bit out of sorts.

at the time the Royal Society had decreed this particular area Earth 9871 unoccupied, so the survey team had been completely taken unawares

And, there had been that disgusting infestation of sucking creatures that had attached themselves to his tender skin in the hollows of his front legs when he had tried to bathe

it once had a been a bright, glowing iridescent bronze, now it was a rather dull, sad looking coppery color