76 



Characteristics of the Ram. The following are a few distinguish- 

 ing characteristics of the Border Leicester Ram. The head is long, 

 and well carried on a neck of good length and ample substance at 

 the base ; broad, but not high on the crown, nor too heavy behind 

 the ears, the two latter points in the ram involving difficulty of 

 lambing in this as in other large breeds. Too much strength in the 

 head is frequently correlated with coarseness in the animal. The 

 profile should be slightly aquiline, with a strong masculine appear- 

 ance, tapering to a black and square muzzle ; the dense covering of 

 hair on the face and legs uniformly white and hard (but not so 

 wiry as in the case of the Cheviot), free from any trace of wool, 

 and extending well back behind the ears ; the ears, fairly erect and 

 a good size, placed not too wide apart, white inside and out, with 

 occasional black spots ; the belly light, carrying little offal, and 

 giving a somewhat leggy appearance, especially after shearing ; the 

 wool long and close, soft, and in little ringlets or pirls, wavy 

 throughout its length, but not open to the skin ; on being gripped 

 it should fill the hand ; the ram should carry a heavy fleece with 

 the wool well down on the legs and with the belly well covered. 

 Sheep deficient in the latter respect are not so well fitted to with- 

 stand unfavourable conditions. 



The Society of Border Leicester Sheep Breeders was established 

 in 1898, and the first volume of the Flock Book was issued in 1899. 



HALF-BRED SHEEP. 



The Half-bred, as the name implies, is a cross (Border Leicester 

 and Cheviot) but is so extensively bred and has such distinctive 

 characteristics that it is worthy of special note. A striking point 

 is the fact that Half-bred sheep can be bred fairly true to type 

 from Half-bred parents, and both systems of breeding are adopted. 

 It is generally said that the first cross is hardier and better woolled, 

 but that by mating Half-bred and Half-bred a bigger and longer 

 sheep is produced, which is, however, not so well suited for upland 

 exposed conditions. 



The wool is close, thick, and fine, more like that of the Cheviot 

 than that of the Border Leicester. 



Half-bred sheep are bred in great numbers in the border counties 

 of England and Scotland and in Caithness and Sutherland in the 

 North. The ewes are extremely prolific and good mothers (it is 

 fairly common on good low ground for a fairly large flock of old 

 ewes to rear on an average two lambs each) and are sold to go to all 

 parts of the north of England and the lowlands of Scotland for 

 breeding purposes. Formerly in Scotland they were almost all 

 crossed with Border Leicester rams producing " three-quarter 

 breds," but now a great proportion are put to Down rams, par- 

 ticularly Oxfords, Suffolks, Shropshires, and in England, Hampshires, 

 to produce lambs which are of excellent quality and can be sold at 

 almost any age. The Border Leicester lambs are excellent for 

 early fattening, but they must be got off when young, otherwise the 

 carcase is apt to be too fat for modern tastes. 



