600 SHEEP HORNLESS DARK-FACED SHORT-WOOLS 



thick hoofs of strong texture, that the breed is not so 

 susceptible to foot-rot as most other breeds. 



As a sire the Ryeland ram is most impressive, and in 

 high favour for producing fat lambs by ewes of his own or 

 other breeds. The lambs are generally born fat, and they 

 retain their condition when well managed in virtue of their 

 natural hardiness of constitution. The ewes have been 

 repeatedly used as the foundation on which to start to breed 

 up a Shropshire flock, on account of their symmetrical form 

 and hardy constitution. 



Ryeland sheep were supplanted to a large extent some 

 years ago during the rage for Shropshire and other improved 

 Downs, but the tendency of recent times has been to breed 

 them up again, and to improve the form by selection. It was 

 estimated in 1903 that there were only about thirty flocks of 

 Ryeland sheep in existence at that time twenty-five being 

 located in Hereford and Brecknockshire, and two or three in 

 each of the counties of Morrmouth, Gloucester, and Worcester. 

 Now (1907) they number at least two hundred. 



HORNLESS DARK-FACED SHORT-WOOLS 



The Sussex, or Southdown, is the breed through which 

 all the other Down breeds have been formed, by crossing it 

 with the old-fashioned varieties of the different districts. It 

 is short-legged, and in all respects most compact and sym- 

 metrical, but particularly good in the hind quarters. The 

 present improved and peculiarly handsome form of the breed 

 has been attained by selection from the original stock, which 

 was light in the fore quarters, and leggy. No outside blood 

 was introduced. (See Appendix T.) 



The head is small and neat, woolled close up to the ears 

 and on the forehead ; naked ears are most objectionable. 

 The hair on the face and legs is of a grey-brown colour. 



The fleece is short, close, and of fine quality, and should 

 be free from hard projecting fibres ; that from a ewe weighs 

 from 3 to 4 Ibs. Open, long, coarse wool has been imported 

 into some flocks in the attempt to increase the size by 

 crossing, and it is very objectionable. Any darkness or 

 dullness in the colour of the skin when the wool is parted is 

 also an objectionable feature in the show-ring. 



