THE BLACKFACED BREED OF SHEEP. 233 



stronger and a more aggressive breed. The first appearance of tlie 

 blackfaced in the Highlands dates back about one hundred and 

 twenty years. They are traced in the first instance to Perthshire 

 and Dumbartonshire, from which counties they crept gradually 

 northwards till in the extreme northern counties their colonisation 

 was checked by the Cheviots, on whose side the influence of Sir 

 John Sinclair was strongly cast. In reference to Perthshire, 

 Eobertson, the minister of Callander, who writes an account of the 

 county at the beginning of the century, states that about forty 

 years before he wrote, " the blackfaced or mountain breed were 

 introduced from the south." In a Report on Dumbartonshire, 

 publislied about the same time as Perthshire, compiled by the 

 Eev. Andrew Whyte and the Eev. Dr Macfarlane, it is men- 

 tioned that the blackfaced sheep were brought originally from 

 the counties of Dumfries and Lanark, and were introduced there 

 about 1750. Argyllshire, too, claimed about the same time. In 

 the Farmer's Magazine there is mention made of Mr John Camp- 

 bell of Lag wine, " who was certainly the first who banished 

 cattle from the West Highland hills, and supplied their place 

 with blackfaced muir sheep from his native place." 



Mr Campbell, we are told, was at one time a proprietor of 

 Gar i eve, Ayrshire, but misfortune came upon him about the 

 year 1755 or 1756, and he then "set off for the West Highlands, 

 and leased the extensive farm of Glenvoe, part of the Ardkinless 

 estate." From Perthshire the sheep were taken to the north by 

 Sir John Lockhart Eoss of Balnagowan. About their fitness for 

 the hills tliere was from the outset no doubt. The climate was 

 trying, but their hardiness was equal to it. Thus, in Mackenzie's 

 Review of Ross and Cromarty, the writer narrates how in travel- 

 ling through the Highland districts of Perthshire he observed 

 " the blackfaced or Linton breed of sheep were kept exposed to 

 the severest winters by the farmers in that county, and were 

 far more profitable stock than black cattle." 



Witliin recent years blackfaced sheep have improved very 

 much in character. In the first place, they have had a sharp 

 tussle with the Cheviots, and this no doubt has had the efiect of 

 putting breeders on their mettle. The encroachments of the 

 whitefaced sheep on the ground of the blackfaced went on 

 almost uninterruptedly until the disastrous season of 1800, when 

 the ditlerence between the two breeds was verv marked — the 

 Cheviots suffering severely, while the others escaped nearly 

 untouched. Then the tide of favour began to flow for the black- 

 faced. Farmers in high-lying districts changed back to their 

 old stock, while on ground which Cheviots had always hail to 

 themselves the hardier type took their place. This transition is 

 still going on, stiauilated greatly by the trying seasons that have 

 been so common of late, aiul also no doubt by the consideration 

 that the diiVi/rence in the value of the wool of the two breeds is 



