96 SHEEP : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



THE LIMESTONE OR CRAG SHEEP. 



In connection with the last-named sheep, there is another 

 breed which is stated to divide the rough and undulating 

 moorlands which constitute so large a proportion of East 

 Lancashire and West Yorkshire. Both of these breeds were 

 well represented at the Manchester meeting of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society. Like the Lonks, they do not appear in 

 any older descriptions of British sheep, but their existence is 

 indicated rather than asserted. Youatt tells us that ' towards 

 the borders of Westmoreland the Limestone breed of sheep 

 are found. They are natives of that part of the country, and 

 singularly confined to it. It is a horned breed, with white 

 faces and legs, depasturing on a rocky limestone land." 



Here we have the nearest approach to a description of the 

 present Crag or Limestone sheep which we can find. I had 

 the opportunity of examining specimens bred by Mr. Rowland 

 Parker, of Moors End, Pourton, Westmoreland, at the Man- 

 chester Exhibition of the Royal Agricultural Society so long 

 ago as 1869, and was able to describe them from life in the 

 following words : " Both sexes horned, face and legs white, 

 wool firm, intermediate in length, and inclining to the character 

 of short rather than of long wool. Mr. Parker's flock clip on 

 an average ylbs. each sheep. Mr. Parker rears and feeds 

 up his wether lambs entirely on the * inland ' ground, and 

 raises them to from 18 to 22lbs. per quarter at twenty months 

 old. The ewe lambs are kept in the ' inland ' until they are 

 one year old, and then go to the ' common ' or high 

 ground from May to October. They are again brought down 

 to the inland in October and put to the ram. Mr. Parker 

 speaks to the prolific character of the females. Out of fifty- 

 four ewes thirteen produced three lambs each, while the entire 

 fifty-four brought up ninety-six to weaning time." The Crag 

 sheep are well adapted for the dry and high lying moors of the 

 mountain limestone, and are able to subsist almost without 

 water. 



