58 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



breeders formed a society to forward the breed's interests. They 

 were well warranted in doing this, for an undoubtedly good sheep 

 has so been preserved. 



It has little of the appearance of a native breed recently taken 

 in hand, for it shows up well beside many of the older established 

 breeds. It is capable of producing a good carcase of high-class 

 mutton, has a well-balanced frame, a vigorous constitution, and 

 cuts a good fleece of wool of what may be termed the finest type. 

 The breeders will be well advised to continue on the lines which 

 the best men in the breed have followed so long to pay special 

 attention to the mutton, whilst maintaining the wool of a quality 

 and nature which suits the climatic conditions of the bleak hills 

 with which the breed is associated. At the same time there seems 

 no reason why this breed should not be mated successfully with 

 several other breeds, not necessarily hill sheep, to produce cross-bred 

 mutton of high quality. 



SWALEDALE, PENISTONE, AND OTHER ENGLISH HlLL B&EEDS. 



Among the remaining breeds of the northern hills may be 

 mentioned the Swaledale, a very hardy breed, found on the hills 

 adjoining the dale, and extending into the Pennines and West- 

 morland. It is much of the type from which the Scotch Black- 

 face was developed. In some respects the sheep might be regarded 

 as superior to the Scotch, but they are excellent mothers, and 

 live a hard life, getting no extra food beyond a little hay in severe 

 weather in spring. 



The Penistone is now a small breed met with occasionally on 

 the borders of Yorkshire, Lancashire, and Derbyshire. It is heavily 

 horned, and has a white or light-grey face, with something of the 

 Lonk characteristics. 



The Limestone has practically become extinct. It was chiefly 

 found in a few parishes on the dry limestones of the lower districts 

 of Westmorland. In a district, and over a large breadth of 

 country, where most of the sheep were black-faced, it was singular 

 that, although horned, the face, and legs, and wool were white, 

 again illustrating how wide could be the variation in breed charac- 

 teristic within small areas. 



The Rough Fell sheep of the moors and hills of North-west 

 Yorkshire, parts of Westmorland, and adjoining districts are 

 closely allied to the Scotch Black-face, but have not had the same 

 skill and attention generally bestowed on them. 



WICKLOW. 



The Wicklow is an Irish breed with many points in common 

 with the Welsh Mountain. Moreover, it possessed, in its 



