DERBYSHIRE, LIMESTONE, AND PENISTONE 553 



embraces some eight parishes or townships on the dry 

 limestones in the lower districts of Westmorland, only a 

 few townships being in the higher parts of the county. It 

 also extends to a limited degree to the Derbyshire hills 

 the Pennine range. 



Points. Both males and females are horned, and the 

 faces, legs, and wool are white. The wool is very long, 

 and it is finer in quality on the fore quarters than on the 

 hind quarters. The breed possesses a noble carriage. It 

 is very hardy and active, and admirably suited to mountain 

 climbing, though on dry lowland pasture it thrives well "and 

 reaches its maximum size. 



There has been little or no change in the characteristics 

 of Limestone sheep from time immemorial. The attempt 

 to introduce sheep of other breeds from other parts of the 

 country, usually by strangers coming to settle in the district, 

 has failed, the native dry heaths, or bare mountain pastures 

 being unsuitable to any but the Limestone breed. On the 

 other hand they do badly on wet and spongy land. The 

 ewes are most prolific, and will readily cross with rams of 

 other breeds, but it is then necessary to bring them in from 

 the heath not later than the beginning of October. They 

 make good mothers if not interfered with, but, if approached 

 or handled, they are liable to become petted, and even to 

 run away from their lambs. Shearling wethers on ordinary 

 pasture will weigh 18 to 21 Ibs. per quarter dressed at 

 nineteen to twenty months old, and highly-fed cast ewes 

 have run up to 28 Ibs. per quarter. The outside show of 

 fat is not so good as in the Lincoln and Leicester breeds, 

 but the quality of the mutton is unequalled by that of any 

 other English breed, except the Herdwick and the Welsh 

 mountain sheep. The ewes resemble the ewes of the 

 Dorset Horn, in that they come in season at almost any 

 time, and consequently may be used for the production of 

 Christmas fat lamb. 



The modern Penistone breed is akin to the Limestone 

 breed, with a white or light grey face and well-developed 

 horns. It is found in small numbers in the vicinity of 

 Penistone, the highest market town in England. 



According to Low, the Penistone breed owes its preserva- 



