CHAPTEE XXY. 



HERDWICK SHEEP. 



By H. A. SPEDDING, MiREHorsE, Keswick. 



F the original introduction of this breed into Cumber- 



land nothing certain is known, though there is a 

 vague tradition that the original parents came out of 

 a Spanish ship wrecked on the coast near Dudden 

 Sands ; but, however this may be, it is certain that the breed 

 existed in the immediate neighbourhood of Muncaster long 

 before it emerged from thence and spread all through the lake 

 district of Cumberland, Westmoreland, and Lancashire. There 

 it now reigns supreme, having entirely superseded the old Fell 

 breed, which, tradition says, was white-faced and horned, larger 

 than the Herd wick, but neither so hardy nor such quick feeders. 

 Once established, however, it is no wonder that this sheep holds 

 its own against all competition, as no other breed can do so well 

 on the same ground ; for, though horned black-faces can endure 

 the cold and wet of the winter nearly as well, yet they want a 

 longer bite, and cannot exist on the " slape " fells — which some- 

 times consist only of rocks, and grass so short that it seems as 

 if nothing but a razor could get anything off them — and the 

 ewes especially fail in milking. In comparing them with other 

 mountain breeds it must always be remembered that the Herd- 

 wicks labour under one very great disadvantage, viz., that the 

 fells they go on are for the most part " common," and the common 

 rights are, as a rule, very imperfectly enforced ; thus it generally 

 happens that a great many more sheep are turned on to the fell 

 than the ground ought to carry ; and this again, by causing 

 jealousy among the different flockmasters, leads to much 

 unnecessary dogging and driving, which of course takes a great 



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