No. 2. 



The Cheviot Sheep. 



57 



THE CHEVIOT SHEEP; 

 Ewe, bred by Mr. Thomson, Attonburn, Roxborough co. From " Loia's Illustrations." 



The Cheviot breed of sheep is derived from a district forming - the mountains, termed 

 Cheviot in Scotland. They are composed of a range of beautiful mountains, tending to 

 the conical, and mostly covered with grasses, ferns, wild thyme, and other plants descrip- 

 tive of trap, often to the very summit ; frequently in contact at their bases, or separated 

 from one another by narrow valleys. Their highest summit is 2658 feet above the level 

 of the sea, and they are frequently capped with snow, long after it has disappeared from 

 the lower grounds. This district has produced from time immemorial, a race of sheep en- 

 tirely distinct in character from the breeds of the elevated moors adjoining; they are des- 

 titute of horns, thin faces, and legs white; their bodies are very closely covered with short 

 wool, which is sufficiently fine for making cloths. The two-shear wethers when fat, will 

 weigh, on a medium, from 10 to 18 pounds per quarter; the ewes weighing from 12 to 14. 

 The mutton is very good, although somewhat inferior in delicacy to that of the Southdown 

 and Welsh sheep. The improved Cheviots, are of excellent form; of quiet habits; exceed- 

 ingly hardy, their close fleeces enabling them to resist the extremes of cold. They have 

 spread from their native mountains to a very large extent of country, supplanting in their 

 way the heath breed which previously exisited, and are reared in increasing numbers ; having 

 the property of adapting themselves to every country where they are naturalized; and the 

 extension that has taken place of this hardy breed must be regarded as having been of 

 singular benefit to the countries to which they have been carried — to the west of England, 

 and to Wales; and have every where been found admirably suited to a cold and mountainous 

 country ; at the same time they are excellent stock for lower and richer pastures, where they 

 grow to a much larger size, and are bred shorter in the leg, and of fine proportions. The 

 wool weighs about 3^ pounds per fleece, its quality varying with the pastures, being fine, 

 where the shorter grasses prevail. The number of sheep assigned to the care of one 

 shepherd in these mountainous districts, is from four to five hundred, if the flock consists 

 wholly of ewes ; which number is as much as one man can conveniently manage ; but when 

 the flock is composed of part wethers, one man may tend seven or eight hundred. The 

 breed of dogs used on the mountains of Cheviot, are small and of homely exterior, but 

 proverbial for sagacity, fidelity, and untiring perseverance ; they perfectly understand the 

 language of their master, and even seem to divine his meaning. Their whole habits are 

 fashioned to the life they lead, for when taken from their natural pursuits their spirits 

 droop, and they lose the sagacity which distinguishes them in the occupations of the shep- 

 herd's life. 



