REARING AND FEEDING OF ANIMALS. 



365 



no purpose of useful economy would be promoted by extend- 

 ing them. Their coat is a fine soft wool, mixed with hair. 



The Welsh breeds form several groups, of small size and 

 peculiar form, their hinder extremities being long, by which 

 they are fitted for vaulting as well as running wool short, 

 soft, much mixed with hair, and underneath the chin the hair 

 is usually so abundant as to form a kind of beard. There are 

 considerable degrees of difference in the several groups, arising 

 probably from difference of situation. 



The black-faced sheep are a mountain breed, small of size, 

 but hardy, bold, and active; they are a horned variety, with 

 black faces and legs wool shaggy and coarse, weighing from 

 three to five pounds the fleece. They feed kindly in good 

 pastures, and their mutton is held in great esteem. It is well 

 suited for a rugged country but they loose their peculiar 

 traits when naturalized in the plains. 



THE CHEVIOT RAM. 



The next in order of the mountain breeds is the Cheviot, so 

 termed from its being reared in the mountains round Cheviot, 

 whence it has been very widely extended to other elevated 

 districts. These sheep are heavier than the black-faced, with- 

 out horns, fine wool, hardy, active, and well suited to an ele- 

 vated country. This breed presents somewhat different cha- 

 racters, according to the nature of the country where it is 

 reared, and the views of breeders. They possess very great 

 31* 



