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* Hornless Sheep. 



THE NEW LEICESTER OR DISHLEY SHEEP. 



THESE Sheep are hornless, and have white faces 

 and legs, and long, fine wool. Their head is narrow. 

 They have fine lively eyes ; and their ears, which are 

 soft and thin, stand backward. Their back is flat ; and 

 their body round, and barrel-like. Their pelts are 

 thin, and all their bones peculiarly slender. The 

 staple is usually about six inches in length. The 

 weight of the fleece is seven or eight pounds, and 

 its value somewhat less than a shilling a pound. 

 The weight of the wool, to that of the carcass, is 

 in proportion nearly as one to eighteen and a half. 

 When the Ewes are three or four years old, they 

 generally weigh from eighteen to thirty-six pounds; 

 and the wethers of two years old, from twenty to 

 thirty pounds, per quarter. 



This breed was flrs,t introduced by Mr. Bakewell, 

 of Dishley, near Loughborough; and he is supposed 

 to have obtained it by crossing the coarse and 

 heavy old Leicester breed with the Ry eland. It has, 

 for several years, been in such esteem, in the mid- 

 land counties, as, in several districts, to have ex- 

 cluded all others, Such, indeed, has been the rage 

 C c amongst 



