irORFOLK SlIEEP.l 



AM) Til I'll: VAKIOUS HHERDS. 



[cheviot bhlkp. 



well provided with shelter, and tiieir dams 

 witli noiirialiin? food. Tlio Soutluiown is a 

 sheep remarkably free from disease, especially 

 the sturdy ami tlie rot. 



TlllC NOlilOLK SIIKKP. 



This breed was tormerly extensively did'used 

 throughout the u[)lanils ot -Norfolk, ISuflblk, and 

 Cauibridgeshiro ; but it is now fast disappear- 

 ing before the Leicesters and the Southdowns. 

 They are a hardy raee, and have a striking re- 

 semblance to the black-faceil, or heath sheep, 

 being similarly marked in the face and legs, 

 •with long, spiral horns, largo bones, long 

 bodies, Hat sides, high backs, uarrow loins, 

 and light and somewhat short wool. The 

 mutton, however, is of rich flavour, such as is 

 usually found to be the characteristic of all 

 wild and semi-wild animals. They are of a wild 

 and roving disposition, and will leap over the 

 ordinary fences ; and their long continuance 

 in the county is probably one reason for the 

 somewhat elevated embankments on which the 

 fences are generally planted. Owing to this 

 disposition they are now mostly fed on the 

 large open, heaths, which, strange to say, are ' 

 still prevalent in Norfolk, notwithstanding its 

 fine climate, and general capability of improve- 

 ment. When fatted they are usually folded, 

 and will weigh from IG to 20 lbs. per quarter; 

 will fatten at two years old, and are famous ■ 

 travellers. 



The principal value of the breed, however, 

 is in their haunches of mutton, and their deer- 

 like, graceful heads and horns. The mutton, 

 when long kept, perhaps more closely re- 

 sembles venison than the flesh of any other 

 breed. The horns are nine or ten inches in 

 circumference at the base, and as much as 

 thirty-six inches long. Lord Leicester, if not 

 the first, greatly helped to efi'ect a change in 

 this breed. " When he found that the Nor- 

 folk sheep," says Lord Spencer, " were a very 

 unprofitable sort, the same reasons induced 

 him to try the New Leicester breed, a variety 

 of sheep probably as ill calculated to succeed 

 on such a soil as the one he occupied, as any 

 breed which he could have selected. He, at 

 last, found that the very best sort of sheep he 

 could adopt were the Southdowns. In this, 

 however, as in every other of his farming ex- 

 periments, Lord Leicester acted with great 



caution, and did not niako the changes which 

 ho contemplated, till thoroughly convinced by 

 practical exi)erienee that they would answer. 

 Accordingly, for several years he had upon ids 

 farm, at the same time, Norfolk sheep, New 

 Leicester, and Southdowns ; ho also tried tho 

 Merinos, but ho did not persevere long with 

 them," Subsequently, this celebrated agricul- 

 turist kept no other sheep but Southdowns. 

 The Norfolk breed were speedily abandoned 

 by the neighbouring farmers ; and in a very 

 short time, from Lynn to llolkhant, there was 

 not such an animal as a Norfolk sheep to bo 

 seen. The Southdowns entirely superseded 

 tJjem. 



THE CHEVIOT SHEEP. 



Tho Cheviot breed is very distinct from tho 

 common mountain, or black-faced race, with 

 which it is, on all sides, immediately surrounded, 

 these two races dividing the north between 

 them. The Cheviot is hornless, and tho 

 general contour is excellent ; the shoulders 

 become full, the body round and long, and tho 

 limbs small-boned. The mutton is in great 

 esteem ; and the wethers average 16, 18, or 

 20 lbs. weight per quarter. It appears from 

 the testimony of practical farmers, that the 

 attention paid to the improvement of this 

 breed, in reference to the condition of the 

 carcass, has been followed by a deterioration 

 in the quality of the wool, which is said to 

 have been formerly capable of entering into 

 the manufacture of fine cloths. Still, how- 

 ever, the wool is good, though inferior to that 

 of the Southdowns. It far surpasses that 

 of the black-faced breed; and as the Cheviot 

 race is equally hardy, and as capable of sus- 

 taining cold as the former, and is content 

 with the alpine plants of the bleak hills and 

 mountains, it must be expected to supersede 

 the black-faced breed, as it has already done 

 in the forest of Ettrick and the whole of Sel- 

 kirkshire, and even Sutherland. The fore- 

 knowledge which these sheep possess of ap- 

 proaching storms, and the assiduity with 

 which, while the shepherd dreams of no im- 

 pending evil, they will seek a place of shelter 

 and security, are curious traits in their charac- 

 ter. It is thus that they often warn the 

 shepherd, by the display of this instinct, 

 wisely implanted within them, and lead him 

 to add his precautions to those which they 



717 



