SELECTING RAMS. 121 



upon a flock and give it a character of its own. It is desir- 

 able that if the character is good it should be extended and 

 rendered uniform throughout, and it is this approach to 

 absolute uniformity which is the great ambition of a high- 

 class breeder. No one who has not worked in a flock, and 

 with shepherds, can imagine the numerous types of sheep. 

 Every feature is noted, even such matters as the colour of 

 the eye, the bend of the nose, the set of the ear. With fond 

 affection and keen interest the shepherd shows you a pair of 

 lambs which match each other, just as an accomplished horse- 

 dealer will, after immense trouble, secure a " pair " of horses 

 not two horses which will run together, but a real match- 

 ing pair. How absolutely true was the great Lord Althorpe's 

 remark, that no man is fit to be a sheep breeder who cannot 

 sit for an hour upon a hurdle looking at one sheep. 



I lay further stress upon this point because outsiders have 

 no idea of the ability, the time and the patience which are 

 necessary to make a judge of sheep. I am often struck with 

 the points noticed by first-class judges. They are not seen 

 by beginners till pointed out. Some of my readers may have 

 indulged in a social pastime which consists in placing some 

 fairly conspicuous article on a well-furnished chimney-piece 

 or table, such as a thimble or ring. One of the party who has 

 been banished from the room while the placing of the said 

 article is being effected, is then admitted and asked to find it, 

 and it is truly amazing to see him pass and repass it appa- 

 rently with his eyes upon it, and yet totally oblivious to the 

 fact. He becomes frantic in his efforts to discover it, and at 

 last it suddenly strikes him, and he seizes it amid the laughter 

 and keen enjoyment of the company. So it is with points of 

 sheep. The fault is glaring enough when pointed out, but 

 till it is pointed out the unskilled man overlooks it again and 

 again. He is at a loss to know why 60 gs., 80 gs., or even 

 100 gs. are being bid for one sheep, while the next is knocked 

 down at 6 gs., 8 gs., or 10 gs. If he happens to be sitting next 

 a judge of sheep, and confides to him his difficulty, his mind 



