THE LEICESTER BREED. 157 



fine bone, being equally clear from superfluous skin 

 and coarse hairy wool, from the knee and hough 

 downwards ; the breast broad and well formed, which 

 will keep his fore legs at a proper wideness ; his girth 

 or chest full and deep, and instead of a hollow be- 

 hind the shoulders, that part, by some called the 

 fore flank, should be quite full ; the back and loins 

 broad, flat, and straight, from which the ribs must 

 rise with a fine circular arch ; his belly straight, the 

 tail well set up, quarters long and full, with the 

 mutton quite down to the hough, which should nei- 

 ther stand in nor out; his twist deep and full, which, 

 with the broad breast, will keep his fore legs open 

 and square ; the whole body covered with a fine thin 

 rosy pelt, and that with a fine long bright and soft 

 wool." * 



The Leicester or Dishley breed is now the most 

 common, and most extensively reared, over all the 

 rich and low-lying pasture-land of England. It is 

 distinguished from the other long-woolled breeds by 

 " having fine lively eyes, clean heads without horns, 

 straight broad flat back, round or barrel-shaped 

 bodies, fine small bones, thin pelts, and a disposition 

 ,o make fat at an early age, with a superiority in the 

 fineness of the grain and flavour of the mutton." f 

 This is properly what was formerly the Lincolnshire 

 breed, remarkable for the quantity of wool, but af- 

 fording a very coarse and unprofitable mutton. Mr 



Culley, p. 73. 



+ Dickson a Practical Agriculture, ii. p. 1135. 



