386 THE EXMOOR SHEE?. 



little wool under the belly. The legs are long and 

 large-boned. 



The mutton of these Sheep is really excellent, 

 when fat; but the expence of fatting the animals, 

 which cannot be done except on good land, is so 

 great, that the breed is going entirely out of esti- 

 mation. It is certainly an unprofitable stock, both 

 to the farmer and the grazier ; and its place is 

 well supplied by the South Down Sheep. The 

 weight of the fleece is from three pounds and a 

 half to four pounds and a half; and its value about 

 ten-pence per pound. 



THE EXMOOR SHEEP 



Have horns, white faces and legs, and long wool. 

 Their head, neck, and bones, are peculiarly small 

 and delicate; but the form of the carcass is not 

 good, being narrow and flat-sided. The weight of 

 a wether, at two years and a half old, is from fifteen 

 to eighteen pounds per quarter. That of the fleece 

 is usually about six pounds. 



It sometimes happens that Lambs are produced 

 without horns; but these are never kept for 

 breeders, from an absurd notion that they are more 

 tender than such as have horns. These Sheep have 

 their name from being chiefly bred in the vicinity 

 of Exmoor, an extensive tract of forest land on the 

 confines of Devonshire and Somersetshire. 



THE 



