64 ; BRITISH SHEEP AND SHEPHERDING. 



a breed with only one set of indigenous characteristics has narrow 

 adaptability. 



The Border Leicester breed contributes largely to the success 

 of the farming of the Border district. It is largely employed to 

 cross with the Cheviots and Black -faced races, and the offspring 

 of these is popular in parts of England ; in fact, the crosses work 

 well on pasture or roots, producing good weights and maturing 

 early. Under the cross a considerable number of fat lambs is 

 raised. These crosses come south in very considerable numbers. 



The following are characteristics of the Border Leicester ram : 

 The head is long, and well carried on a neck of good length and 

 ample substance at the base ; broad, but not high on the crown, 

 nor too heavy behind the ears, the two latter points in the ram 

 involving difficulty of lambing in this as in other large breeds. 

 Too much strength in the head is frequently correlated with coarse- 

 ness in the animal. The profile should be slightly aquiline, with 

 a strong masculine appearance, tapering to a black and square 

 muzzle ; the dense covering of hair on the face and legs uniformly 

 white and hard (but not so wiry as in the case of the Cheviot), 

 free from any trace of wool, and extending well back behind the 

 ears ; the ears, fairly erect and a good size, placed not too wide 

 apart, white inside and out, and occasional black spots ; the 

 belly light, carrying little offal, and giving a somewhat leggy 

 appearance, especially after shearing ; the wool long and close, 

 soft, and in little ringlets or pirls, wavy throughout its length, 

 but not open to the skin ; on being gripped it should fill the hand ; 

 the ram should carry a heavy fleece with the wool well down on 

 the legs and with the belly well covered. Sheep deficient in the 

 latter respect are not so well fitted to withstand unfavourable 

 conditions. 



THE LINCOLN. 



The Lincoln breed is the typical white-faced, hornless, long- 

 woolled breed, and carries a long loose forelock. Its foundation 

 was a very big, coarse, heavily-woolled sheep of a type found in 

 rich fens and marshes, and, as such, was distinct from the long- 

 wool sheep of more upland pastures, which were commonly met 

 with in Leicester and contiguous counties. When the improve- 

 ment of the Leicesters was being recognised, the Lincoln men 

 generally tried to improve their breed by selection, and achieved 

 fair results ; but wiser counsels prevailed, and the Leicester was- 

 brought in, and from repeated crosses with the Leicester the 

 modern Lincoln was evolved. Its great size and coarseness gave 

 way to a smaller (though by no means small) sheep ; neater, 

 and possessed of much more rapid maturing powers. The sheep 



