THE SOUTH DOWN SHEEP. 375 



counties, and particularly from Norfolk and Suf- 

 folk, have, of late years, purchased immense num- 

 bers of South Down Sheep. The Wiltshire downs 

 and Salisbury Plain, are also now nearly covered 

 with them, to the almost entire exclusion of the 

 great Wiltshire Sheep. 



These Sheep are both hardy and ready feeders ; 

 and thrive extremely well, both in hilly and pasture 

 lands. Their fleece, which, as before stated, is short 

 and peculiarly fine, seldom exceeds the weight of 

 two pounds and a half, or three pounds; and its 

 average value is from one shilling and ten-pence to 

 two shillings a pound. Its weight, in proportion to 

 that of the carcass, is about as one to forty-one and 

 a half. 



The Ewes produce their Lambs generally betwixt 

 the middle of March and the end of April; and 

 these, when dropped, are, for the most part, well 

 covered with wool. 



In the writings of the Rev. Mr. White of Selborne, 

 there is a very remarkable observation respecting 

 the Sheep, which, in 1769, were fed on the downs 

 of Sussex. He informs us, that from the westward, 

 as far as the river Adur, all the flocks had horns, 

 smooth, white faces, and white legs ; and that a 

 hornless Sheep was scarcely to be seen. But as 

 soon as that river was passed, to the eastward, and 

 the traveller arrived at Breeding Hill, he would see 

 *hat all the flocks were, on a sudden, hornless or 

 C c 4 polled; 



