614 SHEEP HORNLESS DARK-FACED SHORT-WOOLS 



and full. Neck, moderate length, and well set (in rams stronger, 

 with a good crest). Legs and feet straight and black, with fine 

 and flat bone ; woolled to knees and to hocks, clean below. 

 Fore legs set well apart. Hind legs well filled with mutton. 

 Belly (also scrotum of ram), well covered with wool. Fleece, 

 moderately short : close, fine fibre, without tendency to mat or 

 felt together, and well defined, i.e., white, not shading off into 

 dark wool or hair. [The new-born lamb has a uniform grimy 

 colour all over the tips of the wool, not patchy like the lambs 

 of the old Norfolk breed, due to patches of black or blue skin 

 growing black wool.] Skin, fine, soft, and coloured pink. 



It is claimed for the breed that it excels in the following 

 particulars : in activity of movement, in good carriage, and 

 high courage ; in fecundity, to the extent of producing over 

 thirty lambs to the score of ewes ; in early maturity, as the 

 ram lambs are so large and well developed that they are 

 usually preferred for breeding purposes to older sheep ; in 

 hardiness, as the breed has not been pampered, and will find 

 a living on bare pastures where most other breeds would 

 starve. The mutton is very fine, possessing an exceptionally 

 large proportion of lean meat. It commands the highest 

 prices in the market. The constitution is unusually robust 

 and hardy, the animals possessing great power of endurance 

 when driven long distances. Their being almost exempt 

 from foot-rot has raised their reputation as good " rent- 

 payers," and has led to the displacement of a good many 

 " half-breds," at one time largely kept in the marsh-land 

 districts. 



The Suffolk ram crosses admirably with all white- 

 faced ewes, producing a black-and-white speckle-faced lamb, 

 and a carcase full of lean meat, very well suited to the require- 

 ments of the butcher. No other British breed of sheep can 

 produce a saddle-cut of mutton with such wealth of lean red 

 meat in proportion to fat as the Suffolk and the old Norfolk 

 breeds. At the International Live Stock Show at Chicago 

 (22nd November to 5th December 1903), the first prize in the 

 dressed carcase competition went to a Suffolk wether ex- 

 hibited by Wisconsin Experiment Station. The champion- 

 ship in the sheep carcase competition or " block test " at the 

 Smithfield Club Show was won for the five years (1902-6) 

 by Suffolks or Suffolk-cross lambs ; and the reserve for the 



