122 THE SHEPHEBD'S MAHUAL. 



Lincolnshire cross was used for this purpose, and that a Leicester 

 cross was tried and failed. It is now a most useful breed, and 

 when fed upon sweet, dry herbage, produces a very choice mutton, 

 much sought after by the epicure. It is without horns, the head 

 and legs white, but sometimes, though rarely, dun or speckled, the 

 face good, but strong featured and massive ; the eyes lively ; the 

 body long, set upon clean, fine legs ; the hindquarter and saddle 

 full and heavy ; the forequarter light, as in all mountain breeds, 

 and in habit they are quiet, docile, and submissive to restraint. As 

 a mountain breed they stand first in every respect, and yet are 

 very useful lowland sheep. They fatten quickly on turnips, after 

 pasture, without grain, and make a dressed weight of 80 Ibs. at 3 

 years old. The ewes are good mothers, and the lambs are very 

 hardy, spending the whole season on the hills without shelter, ex- 

 cept in drifting storms of snow, when, without protection, they 

 would be in danger of being buried in the drifts. The final dispo- 

 sition of the Cheviots, when full grown, is to be sold to southern 

 farmers, who raise a crop of cross-bred lambs by a Leicester ram, 

 and fattening the ewes when the lambs are weaned, sell both to 

 the butchers, turning over their capital with interest within one 

 year. Upon good pasture the fleece becomes fine, and sells for a 

 higher price than when they are fed upon coarse grass. The 

 fleece yields about 5 Ibs. of medium wool, which furnishes the 

 material for the useful and fashionable Scotch tweeds and Cheviot 

 cloths. No wool is in greater or steadier demand than this class 

 of clothing wool. 



THE BLACK-FACED SCOTCH SHEEP. This breed is without 

 doubt the oldest hi Scotland. The story of its origin is obscured 

 by tradition. It is known, however, to have existed, much as it 

 now is, for several centuries, having disputed possession of the 

 hills whereon Norval's " father fed his flock," with the wolves and 

 foxes of the semi-civilized period, which preceded the last political 

 settlement of Scotland with England. Since the union of the two 

 countries, great improvements have taken place in Scotch agri- 

 culture, and the Black-faced sheep have gained with it. They are 

 a horned breed, the horns of the ram being massive, and spirally 

 curved. The face is black, with a thick muzzle ; the eye is bright 

 and wild ; the body square and compact, with good quarters and 

 abroad saddle. They are very muscular and active, and remarka- 

 bly hardy, able to endure the privations incident to a life of con- 

 tinual exposure upon bleak and storm-beaten mountains. Only 

 the heaviest snow-drifts, followed by thawing, freezing, and crust- 

 ing of the snow, overcome them. They instinctively herd together 



