PROPERTIES 



165 



forehead is very broad and the head features as a whole indicate 

 the stamina characteristic of the breed. With the exception of 

 black hoofs and dark nostrils and lips, the markings are white and 

 there is no wool on the face or on the legs below the knees and 

 hocks. As a rule, there is a tuft of wool on the forehead. As 

 compared with the Cotswold and Lincoln the wool is not so long nor 

 as lustrous, but it is thicker on the skin and finer, and the weight 

 of fleece about equals that of the Cotswold. 





FlQ. 110. Romney Marsh ram owned by Robert Kenward, England. The deep body, 



full brisket and heavy bone are typical of the breed. 



Properties. Hardiness has always been an outstanding prop- 

 erty of Romney Marsh sheep. The old practice of making them 

 get all of their feed from the marsh pastures through all seasons is 

 still in vogue, and none but hardy sheep can subsist on these pastures 

 in winter, for the feed is poor and the exposure to the cold, damp 

 wind is a drain on vitality. No breed is better suited to low pas- 

 tures, and it has proven itself adaptable to higher, more rolling 

 regions than its native marsh. 



It is said that foot rot and liver fluke (liver rot) seldom affect 

 Romney Marsh sheep and they are regarded as being highly re- 



