290 THE SHEEP OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



feature being a capability of producing, compared with otber 

 breeds, the greatest quantity of fat with tbe smallest con- 

 sumption of food in the shortest time — is an acknowledged fact, 

 while as wool producers they yield to no breed of long-woolled 

 sheep, Lincolns excepted. They gradually found their way 

 into other localities; the first draft of them into the Border 

 counties being introduced by the Messrs. Cully, who migrated 

 thither from the county of Durham in 1767. The immediate 

 followers of the Messrs. Cully were Messrs. Thompson, 

 Chillingham ; Jobson, Chillingham Newtown ; Eobertson, of 

 Ladykirk ; Smith, Lear mouth ; Compton, New Learmouth ; 

 Smith, Norham ; Eiddell, Timpendean, &c. 



Whether some of the early breeders of Leicesters in the Border 

 counties, in imitation of Bakewell's system, tried still further 

 to improve them by crossing in with the Cheviot, a breed 

 possessing fine style and quality ; whether the change in their 

 general appearance is due to selecting animals of the pure breed, 

 high on the leg, with white faces and clean bone ; and whether 

 the soil and climate have had their influence — are questions that 

 can never be satisfactorily answered. Certain it is that the 

 distinguishing features of the Yorkshire and Border Leicesters, 

 though sprung from the same source, have diverged consider- 

 ably, the former now showing a blueness in their faces and a 

 tuftiness in their legs, while the latter are white and clean in 

 both, and, more, what are generally called ujostanding sheep. 

 As the Bakewell breed in early times are described as having 

 white faces and legs, we leave readers to draw their own 

 inference. Our hypothesis, that the Cheviot may have been 

 used by the early breeders, is suggested by our having seen, 

 within these few years, a lot of tups bought as pure Leicesters, 

 which we happened to know were only the third cross from a 

 very fine specimen of the Cheviot tup. The said sheep showed 

 a style and conformation rarely equalled, and were particularly 

 good in their necks and heads. 



Our opinion, however, is, that the flocks tracing the closest 

 lineal descent from the Dishley, untainted by any other strain 

 of blood, selected and crossed with taste and judgment, tended 

 with care, and ** all appliances and means to boot," are still the 

 best in the Border district. When so bred, they possess the 



