THE BLACKFACED BREED OF SHEEP. 215 



Hifrhland breed. In the Yale of Ettrick he becran con amore to 

 take and to give lessons on sheep husbandry ; and in 1819 he 

 succeeded in forming a pastoral society, which since the date of 

 its establishment has steadily and successfully directed the 

 energies of the farmers." " So early as 1798," continues the same 

 writer, " the majority of sheep walks in the south were stocked 

 with Cheviots, but the old blackfaced sheep, in the rough 

 character which belonged to it before the era of modern 

 improvement, was some fourteen or fifteen years ago reintro- 

 duced to two or three farms in the county of Selkirk, but it has 

 never reacquired favour, or been fairly tolerated, except where 

 the less hardy whitefaced sheep is too fragile for the abrasions 

 of the climate." 



CharacterisfAcs of the Breed. 



The nature and habits of the blackfaced sheep are truly 

 Highland. When left for a short time on the hills unmolested 

 it becomes wild, and wherever depasturing during the day, it 

 has the peculiarity of returning regularly to one particular spot 

 over night. It seeks its bed on elevated ground, and it is both 

 pleasant and interesting to watch its instinctive movements on 

 the hillsides on a fine summer evening. About sunset it repairs 

 to its sleeping ground, and in olden times it was regarded as a 

 foretaste of good weather if the flocks moved early and heartily 

 to their lodging places. 



The following are the points which pure-bred tups should 

 possess : — Long-wool ; evenly covered body, with a glossy or silky 

 appearance ; legs, roots of the ears, and forehead (especially of 

 lambs) well covered with soft fine wool ; the muzzle and lips of 

 the same light hue ; the eye bright, prominent, and full of life ; 

 the muzzle long and clean, the jaw being perfectly bare of 

 wool; the ears moderately long; the horns with two or more 

 graceful spiral turns, springing easily from the head, inclining 

 outwards, downwards, and forward — the upper edge of each 

 turn beini]f horizontal with the chaflVon ; the carcase loner, round, 

 and firm ; the neck thick and full where it joins the shoulder ; 

 the shoulder bones well slanted ; the limbs robust and chest 

 wide ; and the ribs well curved and full, wool coming well down 

 on the thighs and chest; face and legs, if not entirely black, 

 should be speckled, and the hind legs well bent at the hocks, 

 and free from black spots or " kemps." The general figure of 

 the ewe is the same as the tup, but the horns should be tlat and 

 " open," or standing well out from the head. Big-boned lanky 

 sheep, with narrow chests and Hat ribs, are generally of weak 

 constitution, and these, as well as sheep with bare hard hairs on 

 their legs, breast, neck, and face — which are far too common — 



