FARM ANIMALS. 425 



old Spanish Merino. They are the best mutton 

 breed in the Fine-Wool class, and have less 

 wrinkles than the before-mentioned breeds, yet 

 shear very well. They are larger than the 

 Delaines, and have a fleece which is somewhat 

 coarser; otherwise these breeds differ very little. 



BREEDS OF MEDIUM WOOL CLASS. 



1. English Down Breeds are all natives of 

 some part of England. They all possess excel- 

 lent mutton form with a fair fleece. The fleece 

 is coarser than the fine wool, and does not con- 

 tain as much yolk. None of them possesses horns, 

 and the face and legs vary in color from grayish 

 brown to black, according to breed. They rank 

 in size as follows, the first being the largest: 

 Oxfords, Hampshires, Suffolks, Shropshires and 

 Southdowns. 



2. Dorsets are natives of England and par- 

 ticularly famous as early lamb producers. They 

 yield fair fleece and carcass. Both males and 

 females possess horns, and the face and legs are 

 covered with white hair. 



3. Cheviots have the border country between 

 England and Scotland as an original home. 

 They are very attractive sheep, being entirely 

 white, but not as a rule very thick-fleshed, shear 

 ing only an average clip. 



4. Tunis Sheep are the breed often referred 

 to as the fat-tailed sheep, native of northern 

 Africa. 



