THE DEVON LONGWOOLS. 311 



master was judiciously content to rely solely on Dishley blood 

 to repair defects, another decided on effecting a Lincoln cross ; 

 and a third conceived he might derive superior results by an 

 alliance between the Bampton and Cotswold. There is no 

 evidence of the Southdown having ever been resorted to, 

 although the grey faces to be found in some of the older flocks 

 naturally lead to the supposition ; — bearing the fact in remem- 

 brance that the original Bampton possessed a white face, as well 

 as the Leicester and every other long-woolled kind with which 

 it has been known to have been connected. 



The best flocks of Devon Longwools are, however, derived 

 solely from Leicester and Bampton— a most valuable cross in 

 every respect, as a more valuable sheep has been created than 

 either ; larger and more productive both in meat and wool than 

 the former, and better shaped, smaller boned, and of more early 

 maturity than the latter. From fifty to sixty years ago the 

 improved breed was known by the appellation of the " Devon - 

 Nott ; " but by reason of many of the flockmasters adhering 

 very closely to the Leicester type, the name ** Leicester 

 Longwools " began to be applied to these sheep afterwards ; 

 and authorities for a time seemed disposed to ignore their 

 peculiar characteristics, and to consider them as only forming a 

 sub-variety of the Leicester. From this another reason may 

 be gathered why the distinctive claims of the breed have been 

 so thoroughly overlooked in our agricultural literature, and 

 why the "Royal Agricultural Society, except in visits to the 

 West, has never recognised it as worthy of forming a separate 

 class. During the past thirty years these sheep have been 

 designated " Devon Longwools " — an appellation remarkably 

 suitable, and to which they are now generally deemed fairly 

 entitled, as the most profitable flocks are not those which have 

 a near affinity to the Leicester type, and many of the leading 

 breeders have ceased to make new infusions of that blood for 

 a great many years past, preferring to use Devon Long wool 

 rams, for which there is a large and rapidly-increasing demand 

 in the West of England. 



The history of the ancient stock from which the breed is 

 derived is lost in obscurity. In a letter by Mr. E. Proctor 

 Andernon, written January, 1772, published in Arthur Young's 



