1030 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



The shoulders should be on a level with the Kack, and not too wide 

 above. If the shoulder-plates are very wide on the top, it is generally found 

 that the annnal drops beliind them. The back should be flat, from the 

 shoulders to the setting on of the tail. The ribs should project horizon- 

 tali}' from the spine, extending far backward, and the last rib projecting 

 more than the others. The rump should be long and broad, the tail set 

 on high, and nearly on a level with the spine ; the hips wide, and the 

 space between them and the last rib on cither side as narrow as possible, 

 thus preventing the dropping of the belly ; the ribs generally presenting 

 a circular form. The legs should be of proportionate length ; the hind 

 legs full in the inside at the point called the twist ; the hock, or hough, 

 rather turning out. The fore-legs should be straight from the breast to 

 the foot ; the face and legs of a dark brown color. 



XIV. Other Breeds of Great Britain. 



The breeds of sheep in Great Britain are as varied as the neighborhoods, 

 very few of them, except those already mentioned, having more than 

 a local reputation. In the summary of breeds, a few pages further on, 

 Ihese will be mentioned in connection with some of those described in 

 the preceding pages. The only additional English breed necessary to 

 illustrate here is the Dorset sheep. 



XV. Dorset Sheep. 

 The Dorset sheep, while pro])ably of the same origin as the Welsh 

 Mountain, and the Scotch Highland sheep, are peculiar, we believe, to 



GROUP LEICESTER SHEEP. 



Dorsetshire. They are a hardy, active, strong, heavily horned race, 

 that would seem to be well able to take care of themselves in inhospitable 



