ON THE CHEVIOT BREED OF SHEEP. 115 



strfii^^lit back, they are round in the rib and well-proportioned in 

 their ([uarters, the legs are clean and sniall-lioned, and the [)elt is 

 thin, but thickly covered with line short wool. The wo(d extends 

 over the whole of the body and comes forward beliind the ear, 

 but leaves the face uncovered." 



During tlie tinu; tliat tliesc; pictures were being drawn of tlieni, 

 Cheviot sheep were gradually spreading themselves over a wider 

 and wider range of country. Both in the south and north did 

 they challenge the blackfaces, and drive this breed away from 

 grounds on which they had grazed for many years. The then 

 Lord Napier, in giving evidence before a Connnittee of the 

 House of Lords which sat about the beginning of the century, 

 says of the current of opinion that set in about the year 1800, 

 that it had caused Cheviot stock to be substituted for blackfaced 

 throughout the Forest of Ettrick and the whole of Selkirkshire ; 

 and the late I'atrick Sellar, referring to the change of fancy 

 that had come into operation in the north, states that in Suther- 

 landishire this favourite breed increased in numbers so much 

 that, wliereas in 1805 the district contained only a few hundreds, 

 100,000 fleeces and 20,000 ewes and wedders belonging to one 

 grazier were sent out of the county in 1820. Quite in keeping 

 with this run of popularity is the opinion expressed by Youatt 

 as late as 1837 — "The contest," Youatt mentions, "is still being 

 carried on between these valualjle breeds, Ijut decidedly in favour 

 of the Cheviots. With every improvement in agriculture they 

 advance. From simple cold their fine and close coat protects 

 them perhaps more effectually than the coarser and looser one of 

 the blackfaced ; they may not be quite so patient endurers of 

 hunger, but even on scanty fare they will thrive as well as their 

 rivals. On average, or somewhat superior, pasture they will leave 

 them far behind ; and the time will prol3ably arrive when, with 

 the exception of a few and not very extensive districts, it will be 

 acknowledged to be the only breed worthy of the Highlands of 

 Scotland," — a conclusion that was no doubt warranted at the 

 time, but which has since been proved incorrect. 



Between the years 1800 and 1860 the tide continued to run 

 in favour of the breed. In that time tlie blackfaced disappeared 

 from nearly all the best farms in the south of Scotland, except 

 in the mountainous districts of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire, and 

 even in these their grazings were encroached upon. Throughout 

 Caithness and Sutherland Cheviots were found almost every- 

 wliere ; and there was a large proportion of them in Eoss-sliire, 

 Inverness-shire, Argylesliire, and Perthshire. Since 1860, how- 

 ever, the breed has lost ground owing to causes that will be 

 afterwards touched upon. 



In the management of this breed there is consideraljle variety 

 of practice, and, in describing their treatment, it is therefore 



