336 THE SHEEP OP GREAT BRITAIN. 



in character. It was evident that the leading ram breeders of 

 each district had aimed at and had secured a different type. 

 The North and East Hampshire sheep were large, muscular, 

 early-matured animals, growing a fair quantity of wool of 

 moderate fineness ; the head large and well set on, of dark 

 brown colour, verging towards black, covered with coarsish hair, 

 with Eoman nose, the neck with greatly developed muscles ; the 

 ears thick, of the same colour as the face, and an occasional 

 tendency to recur to the original type, by producing " snig 

 horns ; " the legs with large bones, and in the most strongly 

 marked type, the wool growing below the hocks and knees. An 

 occasional white spot was exhibited on the face, ears, or legs ; 

 but the efforts of the ram breeders were uniformly directed to 

 avoid this, and to procure perfect uniformity of colour. On the 

 other hand, the Wiltshire breeders had adopted a more largely 

 framed and probably less handsome animal than their Hamp- 

 shire brethren. They were less careful as to the uniformity of 

 fcolour, and an ewe with speckled face or ears was not dismissed 

 from their flocks, provided she had size and other good 

 qualities. 



Amongst the earliest and most distinguished breeders in 

 Hampshire were the Messrs. Dale, Budd, Pain, Digweed, 

 Dowden, &c. ; and in Wiltshire Messrs. Dear, Cusse, Smith, 

 Blake, and others ; the late Mr. Waters, of Stratford, near 

 Salisbury, kept a smaller but more handsome and truer type of 

 sheep. 



About 1845, when the Hampshire Downs were gradually 

 asserting their superiority over the Southdowns in the counties 

 of Wilts, Hants, and Dorset, the necessity for an improvement 

 in the general quality and tendency to make flesh was apparent. 

 Foremost amongst the improvers in this direction was the late 

 Mr. Humphrey, of Oak Ash, near Newbury, who may be said 

 to have achieved for the Hampshire Downs that which Mr. 

 Jonas Webb achieved for the Southdowns. To him was given 

 the instinct to perceive the results that would accrue to the 

 Hampshire Downs by a strong dash of the largest and best 

 fleshed of Mr. Jonas Webb's Southdowns. Carefully tested, 

 and the issue of the various crosses watched and applied with 

 marvellous ability, and at a great cost of time and money, the 



