SHEEP AND THEIR MANAGEMENT. 203 



South Down by Mr. Ellman, the founder of the im- 

 proved breed : 



" The head small and hornless ; the face speckled 

 or gray, and neither too long or too short. The 

 lips thin, and the space between the nose and the 

 eyes narrow. The under jaw or chap fine and thin ; 

 the ears tolerably wide, and well covered with wool, 

 and the forehead also, and the whole space between 

 the ears well protected by it, as a defence against 

 the fly. 



" The eye full and bright, but not prominent. 

 The orbits of the eye, the eye-cap or bone, not too 

 projecting, that it may not form a fatal obstacle in 

 lambing. 



" The neck of a medium length, thin towards the 

 head, but enlarging towards the shoulders, where it 

 should be broad and high, and straight in its whole 

 course above and below. The breast should be 

 wide, deep, and projecting forward between the 

 fore legs, indicating a good constitution and a dis- 

 position to thrive. Corresponding with this, the 

 shoulders should be on a level with the back, and 

 not too wide above ; they should bow outward from 

 the top to the breast, indicating a springing rib be- 

 neath, and leaving room for it. 



" The ribs coming out horizontally from the spine, 

 and extending far backward, and the last rib pro- 

 jecting more than others ; the back flat from the 

 shoulders to the setting on of the tail ; the loin 

 broad and flat ; the rump broad, and the tail set on 

 high, and nearly on a level with the spine. The 

 hips wide, the space between them and the last rib 

 on either side as narrow as possible, and the ribs 

 generally presenting a circular form like a barrel. 



" The belly as straight as the back. 



" The legs neither too long nor too short. The 

 fore legs straight from the breast to the foot ; not 

 bending inward at the knee, and standing far apart 

 both before and behind ; the hock having a direction 



