42 BRITISH shEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



The Dorset Horn Sheep Breeders' Association has established 



the following standard of excellence : 



Rams. Bold masculine appearance, and robust character ; head 

 of great beauty, with strong and long horns growing 

 from the head, well apart on the crown, in a straight 

 line with each other, and coming downwards and forwards 

 in graceful curves as close to the face as may be without 

 necessitating cutting. 



Ewes. Appearance bright, with feminine characteristics. The 

 horns much smaller and more delicate than in the ram. 



GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS. 



Head. Broad, full and open at the nostril, well covered with wool 



from brow to poll. Face, white with pink nose and lips. 

 Ears. Medium size, and thin. 

 Teeth. Flat, chisel-shaped. 

 NecJc. Short and round, well sprung from shoulders, with no 



depression at the collar, strong and muscular, especially 



in the ram. 



Chest. Well forward, full and deep. 



Fore Flank. Full, with no depression behind the shoulder. 

 Shoulders. Well laid and compact. 



Back and Loin. Round, long, and straight, with well sprung ribs. 

 Quarters. Full, broad, and deep, with flesh extending to the hocks. 

 Ribs. Well sprung from the back and deep at the sides. 

 Tail. Well set up in a line with the back, wide, firm, and fleshy. 

 Legs. Well placed at the four corners, straight between the joints, 



with plenty of bone, well woolled to, and below, the 



knees and hocks. 

 Fleece. Of good staple and quality, compact and firm to the 



touch. 



THE RYELAND. 



The Ryeland is a breed which in early times is said to have 

 been of considerable importance in the Western Midlands, though 

 its name is supposed to have been taken from its particular associa- 

 tion with the rye lands of Herefordshire. It, however, was an 

 exceptionally small sheep, and was much crossed by the Leicester, 

 when the wave of sheep improvement took place after BakewelTs 

 time ; this resulted in a bigger sheep and some sacrifice of the 

 beautiful fineness of the wool ; for a time the prospects of the 

 breed were poor ; fortunately skilled men took it in hand, and 

 although considerably changed, it has developed into 'one of the 

 most attractive British breeds. 



In view of its type and excellent development it may fittingly be 

 described as the Southdown of the West, although it has no South- 



