HILL AND HEATH BREEDS. 59 



unimproved state, quite as good features as those of the better 

 Welsh breeds. Ireland, however, did not march with Great Britain 

 in the general improvement of a century or so ago, and the Wicklow 

 sheep was not taken in hand by the breed improver. The breed 

 has been much cross-bred in the past quarter of a century, and 

 pure strains are difficult to find. Still there are sufficient sheep 

 showing many of the natural features, from which a good breed 

 might be developed. That a good race, well suited to the require- 

 ments of a considerable portion of the south-east of Ireland could 

 be built up, there is little doubt. It is distinct from the old Irish 

 Cottagh breed found until within recent years in some parts of 

 the West of Ireland. 



THE KERRY MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



The Kerry Mountain Sheep is an Irish breed associated with 

 county Kerry, but in the past quarter of a century it has been 

 greatly influenced by the Scotch Black-faced sheep, which has 

 mated well with it, and the cross suits the country. Originally 

 it was a short-tailed breed, with many goat-like attributes ; doubt- 

 less of singular origin to the oldest breeds known to have inhabited 

 these islands ; but now only met with in the extreme north. A few 

 years ago, I spent a considerable time on the Kerry Hills trying 

 to discover a flock of this breed, or even one only a little crossed, 

 but could not find one, though twenty-five years ago they were 

 common enough. To all intents it is a breed of the past, and the 

 crosses showing much of the Black-face character, mainly represent 

 the sheep at the Kerry fairs. 



HERDWICK. 



In point of numbers the Herdwick ranks highest of the northern 

 dark-faced breeds, excepting the true Black-face. Its origin, 

 traditionally, is another instance of the custom of attributing the 

 uncertain to the Spanish Armada. Whether they came in this 

 way, or are merely modifications of hill sheep of the north which 

 emanated as a breed kept in a small area about Muncaster, is 

 open to question, but that they ousted a white-faced horned breed, 

 an indigenous sheep known as the Old Fell breed, is fairly certain. 

 The old breed was larger, but it was slower to feed, and less 

 profitable to keep. The Herdwick holds its place, and is likely 

 to, because no other breed has yet succeeded in turning to such 

 good account the short herbage on the Fells. One is much inclined 

 to sympathise with another writer sceptical to the imputed origin, 

 when he said, " If they were the victims of a shipwreck, they 

 picked their country well." The breed exists under some difficulties 



