io6 SHEEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



is more uniformly white, whereas dark or black spots are 

 often to be seen on the ears and faces of the Leicester. 



SOUTHDOWNS AND HAMPSHIRE DOWNS. 



These two breeds are easily distinguished. In the South- 

 down is seen absolute perfection of form. We shall never 

 see him surpassed in this particular by any breed. The 

 plum-like outline, short and carefully-trimmed coat, and small 

 amount of waste or offal are distinguishing characters. In 

 size they are much less than the Hampshire Down, and, as is- 

 often the case with small animals, their symmetry is beautiful. 

 The colour has become progressively lighter during the last 

 thirty years, and in some of the specimens (not, however, 

 decorated) the face might also be described as white, or very 

 light grey. The head is dish-faced or flat in profile, and the 

 ears are short and round, and often light in tint. The colour 

 of the face of most of the prize-takers was a light fawn. 



The Hampshire Down is much larger and bolder in form, 

 and falls little behind the Southdown in fulness and symmetry. 

 The old faults of neck, shoulder and rump have long disap- 

 peared under careful breeding, and for width of carcase and 

 utility of form they will give way to no breed. Still, the 

 Southdown must be considered as superior in its exquisitely 

 rounded contour of form. The head of the Hampshire is al- 

 most black, and well covered between the ears, which are long, 

 and fall away from the head, giving great width to the pole. 

 This lopping of the ear may be carried too far, but must be 

 considered as characteristic. The short ears of the South- 

 down are more erect, and are set rather more within the 

 outline of the head. The nose of the Hampshire is thick 

 and bold in the ram, and more rounded than in the South- 

 down. The Hampshire is cleaner under the throat than the 

 Shropshire, as already mentioned. It is next to the Lincoln 

 in actual weight. The chief point of excellence in the Hamp- 

 shire Down is its extreme earliness of maturity. No breed 



