274 THE BOEDER LEICESTEE BEEED OF SHEEP. 



and working with it among others, and with ewes that were 

 partly of Meilendean blood, hs at once stepped into a good 

 position. Another East Lothian farmer, who has recently 

 carried on breeding with a good deal of spirit and success, is 

 Mr Andrew Smith, Castlemains ; and two of the proprietors of 

 the county, the Marquis of Tweeddale and Mr Balfour of 

 AVhittinghame, have also formed flocks, the representatives of 

 which generally make a creditable appearance when shown in 

 public. In Mid-Lothian no one has, considering the large 

 numbers which he breeds, taken so high a position as Mr Melvin, 

 Bonnington ; while going to the Border district, it may be said 

 that Mr Thompson, Bailieknowe, has of late years stood out very 

 prominently, as have also Mr Torrance, Sisterpath; Mr Jack, 

 Mersington; and Mr Kisbet, Lambden. In Northumberland, 

 the two principal flocks have perhaps been those of the late Mr 

 Forster, Ellingham, which was founded with cast ewes from 

 Meilendean in 1867 and 1868, and dispersed in 1878; and of the 

 Eev. E. W. Bosanquet, The Eock. v 



The north of Scotland is pretty well represented by Mr 

 Eerguson, Kinnochtry, and Mr Eurves, Thurdistoft, who began 

 ten years ago ; and from the west, good sheep have repeatedly 

 been exhibited by Mr Wallace, Auchenbrain, notwithstanding 

 the disadvantages of climate and soil that he has to contend 

 agaiast. 



There is now a oreat difference between the Enolish Leicester 

 and the Border Leicester ; but both, as has been shown, can be 

 clearly connected with Bakewell's stock, there being put aside, 

 as unsupported by any reliable evidence, the opinion that has 

 been advanced by some, that the present character of the latter 

 has to a large extent been formed by a Cheviot cross. The two 

 types have, of course, been brought about principally through 

 selection, the influences of soil and climate, as well as of taste, 

 having no doubt tended to determine the lines on which the 

 breeds have been developed. The relations in which the different 

 stocks now stand to the original Bakewell type are, that the 

 Border Leicester has alone preserved the w^hite face and clean 

 legs, but that the English animal more resembles the progenitors 

 in his small and more compact body. 



The latter, as is well known, is generally either blue or dun 

 faced, and is covered with wool both about the legs and face, 

 whereas Bakewell's sheep are repeatedly described as white- 

 faced. In our national shows the two classes are now very 

 properly kept distinct from one another ; but it was only at a 

 comparatively recent date that this was done. Up till 1869 the 

 EnLilish and Scotch breeders were left to fioht out their differ- 

 ences in the show-yard as best they could. If south country 

 judges predominated, the preference was given to the few English 



