118 ffiE SHEPHERD'S MAKUAL. 



tliey surpassed their rivals and progenitors, the South downs, 1ft 

 adaptation to the climate. Amidst the vicissitudes of a state of 

 war, no stock so rapidly suffers and disappears as sheep, and as 

 Spain lost her Merinos in the French war of last century, so it is 

 probable that the south has lost her Hampshire-downs. It is a 

 valuable race of sheep, occupying a place where a larger animal 

 than the Southdown is required. It originated in a cross made 

 about 70 years ago between a native, white-faced, horned sheep of 

 the district, and the pure Southdown. The prepotency, or natural 

 vigor and force of the Southdown ram, entirely changed the char- 

 acter of the breed in a few generations. The horns disappeared, 

 the face became black, the frame was made more compact, the 

 back broader and straighter, the barrel rounder, the legs shorter, 

 and the quality of the flesh superior. The cross retained its 

 ancient hardiness, its Roman nose, and massive head, and large 

 size. It became, in fact, a larger Southdown, maturing at an early 

 age, and fatting rapidly. The large size of the lambs of this breed 

 make it specially valuable under certain circumstances ; at a year 

 old they weigh 80 to 100 Ibs. The fleece reaches a weight of 6 to 

 7 Ibs. of wool suitable for combing, being longer than that of the 

 Southdown, and not so fine. The mutton of the Hampshire-downs 

 is not overloaded with fat, and has a good proportion of juicy, well 

 flavored, lean meat. This breed is occasionally crossed with th 

 Cotswold, when it produces a wool more valuable for the worsted 

 manufactures than that of the pure Cotswold. 



THE DOHSET SHEEP. This is a breed which inhabits a district 

 in the south of England, where it has been preserved intact for a 

 long period. It has some very valuable characteristics, one of the 

 chief of which is its fecundity, and its ability to breed at an early 

 season. The Dorset ewes take the ram in April, yean in Septem- 

 ber, and the lambs are fit for market at Christmas. A large pro- 

 portion of the ewes produce and raise twins or triplets. A flock 

 is mentioned owned by Mr Pitfielrl, of Bridport, Dorset, Eng., con- 

 sisting of 400 ewes, which raised 555 lambs in one season. The 

 ewes are ready for the ram immediately after } r eaning, and may 

 thus produce two crops of lambs in a year. Where market Iambs 

 can be disposed of, this peculiarity may be turned to good account, 

 and with great profit. Both rams and ewes are horned. They 

 have white legs ; white, broad, and long faces, with a tuft of wool 

 on the forehead; black nose and lips; low, but broad shoulders; 

 straight back and deep, full brisket ; the loins are broad and deep ; 

 the legs are rather long, but light in the bone. A related and 

 neighboring breed known as " Pink-nosed Somersets," have pink 



