60 BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



owing to the large amount of commonage where the rights are 

 exercised to the full and more, so that the spare ground is often 

 too severely taxed. 



Although the legs and faces of lambs are black, or black with 

 white flecks, by the time they are two years old they have become 

 a frosty or silver-grey, with the forehead a little darker than the 

 lower face. But there is a distinctive blue -black mark or patch 

 at the back of the neck. The ears are white and sharp, and the 

 whole demeanour suggests the wonderful activity that allows 

 them to scale apparently inaccessible places, and to jump both 

 high and wide. A custom prevails of holding a stock to its particular 

 ground or leaf, to which it is much attached, and the tenant's 

 lease usually has a clause which gives the landlord right to the 

 refusal on outgoing. The breed may be regarded as almost in- 

 valuable in the country that it affects. 



The distinguishing characteristics of Herdwick sheep are : 

 Horns in the ram (the ewes have no horns) should be smooth and 

 not too thick, coming out of the head well apart and well back ; the 

 face a light " rag " (grey) or white in full-grown sheep, with plenty 

 of white bristles on the back of the head, and a " toppen " of 

 moderate size on the forehead. The neck and head should be carried 

 gaily, rising well from the shoulders, which are usually sharp at 

 the withers, although a broad shoulder is preferable. The fleece 

 should be genuine wool, not hair, the staple strong, with a mane 

 standing well up round the shoulders and down the breast ; the 

 wool a good length on other parts, and knit together with a lash 

 on the top. A little kemp in the wool when a sheep gets to six 

 years old indicates true Herdwick character. The animal should 

 walk freely and be square on his limbs in travelling to and from 

 an observer, and have a good thick tail. The best sheep, when 

 turned up, are grey below, and they are none the worse for being 

 grey all over the body showing a grey pelt after shearing. Ewes 

 clip about 31b. of wool, hoggs and wethers 41b. or more, and 

 rams 7lb. or 81b. Ewes do best when they lamb for the first 

 time at three years old. Hoggs from some farms are wintered 

 in the low country at a cost of 5s. to 5s. 6d. each, but on very 

 high exposed places they are hardier and do better afterwards 

 if wintered at home on hay. 



