20 PURE-BRED SHEEP. 



Sheep should be neither sexless nor characterless. They should 

 bear the stamp and character of the breed they represent. This 

 breed character is a mark of good blood, and it should be manifest 

 in no unmistakable manner. The sire should be impressive, 

 resolute, and of noble bearing. He should be distinctly the head 

 of the flock in every sense of the word. To meet these require- 

 ments he must have good constitutional and vital powers. With- 

 out these no animal is fit to head a herd or flock. In selecting a 

 sire look first at the head. If deficient there look no further, but 

 reject at once. Insist on a head that faces you boldly, with a wide 

 face, a clear, prominent eye, and a robust character throughout. 

 The head should be joined to a well- filled, round, muscular neck, 

 wide at the poll and back of the ears, and gradually enlarging in 

 all lines to a strong full junction at the shoulders, as seen from tip, 

 sides, or bottom. This should be accompanied by a wide chest, 

 a prominent, well-filled brisket, and a full heart girth, giving 

 straight, even lines from the shoulders back. A depression either 

 in front of or behind the shoulder, whether at the top, side, or 

 bottom line, is an indication of weakness. The back should be 

 strong, wide, and well-meated from shoulder point to tail. The 

 hindquarters should be full and well let down in leg and flank. 

 The legs should be placed wide apart and stand straight. Sickle- 

 shaped hocks and weak, sloping pasterns afford sufficient reason 

 for condemning an otherwise good sheep." 



