CHAPTER XXIII. 

 WELSH MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



By MOEOAN EVANS. 



T is quite uniiecessary to prove the very ancient 

 origin of the Welsh mountain sheep. With black 

 cattle, they formed at one time the principal stock 

 of the Celtic race in the mountainous districts of 

 Wales ; and they must have been the only sheep both on hill 

 and plain, on heather-clad mountains and sunny vale, from 

 Anglesea to the Bristol Channel, from the Severn to Cardigan 

 Bay. As the more fertile lowlands became cultivated, and free 

 and undisturbed communication took place between Wales and 

 England, the small ancient breed in these places became crossed 

 with the larger kinds introduced from the adjoining counties, 

 or they have been entirely supplanted by them, and at last 

 driven before advanced agriculture into the poor hilly soil and 

 mountain ranges of the Principality where they still linger. 

 Leicesters, Cotswolds, or Downs are now to be found on all 

 fertile and well-cultivated farms in the country. On medium 

 and poor soils in exposed places a cross of these with the Welsh 

 mountain sheep is commonly seen ; whilst in the realms of gorse 

 and heather, stretches of barren common, and the cottier tene- 

 ments on the hillside, the ancient breed still holds sway, living 

 on scanty food, rearing hardy lambs, and producing the sweetest 

 mutton known to the palate of the epicurean Englishman. 



Although there is a slight difference in character in the 

 mountain sheep of separate districts, they were doubtless 

 originally the same breed, and have the same common origin. 

 Attempts have been made to divide them into two distinct 



