44 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Various breeds of English sheep. 



proved by the indefatigable attention of Mr. 

 Bakewell, of Dishley, in Leicestershire; and, his 

 example having been successfully followed in 

 many instances, the improved Leicestershire 

 breed is now held in the greatest esteem in most 

 parts of the kingdom, and almost all the princi- 

 pal breeders endeavour to introduce some mix- 

 ture of it into their stock. 



The Lincolnshire breed are of a large size; 

 and their fleeces in point of weight and utility 

 greatly exceed those of Spain, owing to the rich 

 luxuriant marshes on which they feed; but their 

 flesh is coarse, lean, and not so finely flavoured 

 as that of smaller sheep. 



The Dorsetshire sheep are, for the most part, 

 white-faced, with long slender legs, and scanty 

 fleeces. Their flesh is sweet and well flavoured ; 

 and some varieties of the breed are diffused 

 through most of the southern counties. 



The largest breed of English sheep, however, 

 is to be found on the Bank of the Tees, which 

 runs through a fertile tract of country, dividing 

 the two counties of Durham and Yorkshire. The 

 legs of this kind are longer than those of the Lin- 

 colnshire breed, and support a thicker, firmer 

 body ; their wool also is much lighter and their 

 flesh finer grained. They are remarkably pro- 

 lific; the ewes generally producing two, and 

 sometimes three or four lambs each season. 

 - The Shetland sheep are generally destitute of 

 horns, and peculiarly distinguished by the short- 



