346 



A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 



ewes 150 pounds. This is one of our most beautiful breeds. 

 The head is entirely free of wool, and the face and ears are 

 covered with white hair, on which black specks occasionally 

 occur. The nostrils are black, the nose tends to be a bit 

 Roman, the eye is large and prominent, and the erect ear is 

 usually pricked up as though listening. The Cheviot in- 

 clines to be somewhat narrow of back, with a moderate 

 depth of body and fair leg of mutton, though in recent years 

 it has been much improved. The fleece covers the body to 

 the back of the ears and down to the knees and hocks, the 



Figure 148. Cheviot sheep on their native Scotch hills. Photograph by the 



author. 



rest of the leg being covered with white hair. The fleece, 

 which grades as three-eighths or quarter-blood combing, 

 tends to be somewhat open and is usually about 3J/ inches 

 long and a year's growth weighs 6 or 7 pounds. The fiber 

 inclines to be coarser than that of the Shropshire, American 

 breeders using the latter for a standard. 



Cheviots are very hardy, and in their native home on the 

 mountains rely altogether on grass the entire year. They 

 are active and independent, and do not flock as do other 



