376 SHEEP 



well-rounded crops and full front flanks are to be looked for. 

 Sunken crops and high front flanks indicate lack of constitution 

 and poor feeding character. 



The front legs should be wide and heavily muscled of arm, the 

 shank bones fine and short, the joints and pasterns strong. The 

 entire leg viewed from front or side must show good form and 

 strength, the knees not coming close together, and the feet prop- 

 erly pointing straight ahead. Weak pasterns frequently occur with 

 mutton sheep, a feature to be avoided in selecting breeding rams. 



The back and loin contain the valuable cuts, so that strength, 

 width, and thickness are highly essential at all times. Breadth and 

 levelness of back are emphasized, with some closeness of coupling. 



FIG. 1 68. First-prize pen of Southdown yearling wethers at Royal Agricultural 

 Society of England Show, 1903. Bred and exhibited by C. Adeane, 

 Cambridge. This picture shows the mutton form in its highest perfec- 

 tion. Photograph from F. N. Webb, Agent, Cambridge, England 



The body to have ample capacity requires a strong arch and 

 depth of rib, thus giving depth and thickness, invariably asso- 

 ciated with the best type. A short body, at least with the male 

 or feeder, is much preferred to a long one. 



The hips should be inconspicuous, though not narrow, and 

 should be smoothly covered. 



The rump requires length, breadth, and levelness, with a full 

 covering of flesh. Instead of this we too frequently find the 

 peaked, narrow, droopy rump with low-set tail, an ill form either 

 for meat production or in relation to the proper conformation in 

 connection with the reproductive function. 



The thighs should be thick from behind, very full and low in 

 between at the twist, and, as viewed from one side, very wide and 



