35 



lacking in depth, and inclined to be flat ribbed. Heavy, hornless, white head, 

 blotched with black ; points white ; wool curley and lustrous. Of no interest 

 to us. 



Exmoor. Represented by 18 pens. A medium size very compact sheep. 

 They are exceptionally broad, and well built. The rams carry heavy horns, 

 very like those of the Merino in appearance, whilst the ewes carry narrower 

 light horns. These sheep have a distinctly aquiline profile, and, like Merinos, 

 are woolled all over, including legs and purse. The nostrils are black, and 

 the face reddish. I hesitate to say anything as to their possible value to us, 

 as I cannot claim sufficient knowledge of them. 



Cheviot. Represented by 11 pens of sheep, all from the same breeder in 

 Northumberland. Later on I had often occasion to admire the picturesque- 

 ness of the Cheviots in Scottish fields. At Liverpool they were shown in the 

 wool, and had not been tailed. They are relatively large sheep, with great 

 carcass length. Their faces are china white, with a crest of wool at the back 

 of the head. The profile is aquiline. The ears are long, and mobile, and 

 carried erect, giving the head almost a hare-like appearance. There are 

 occasional black spots in the ears. Although the breed is reputed to be 

 hornless, almost all the rams I examined had short stubs of horns. 



Herdwick. Represented by 12 pens of sheep. A breed, I believe, restricted 

 almost exclusively to the high hilly pastures of Westmoreland and Cumber- 

 land. I am told that this breed is exceptionally hardy ; that it will thrive 

 where no other breed can live. It may be so, but, judging from the specimens 

 I had occasion to see later on in Westmoreland and Cumberland, hard times 

 have frequently had the effect of stunting these sheep to a ridiculous degree. 

 The breed is small and active looking, always on the alert ; short-legged and 

 close to the ground, and generally abnormally pot-bellied. Their general 

 appearance is very unprepossessing. 



Welsh Mountain Sheep. Represented by 32 pens, and by far the most 

 attractive of the mountain breeds. On the whole, long in the barrel and 

 short in the leg. Rams alert and handsome, horned, and with white faces 

 and legs. Ewes showed a tendency to sandiness in face and points. Inclined 

 to slackness in general build, and flat ribs. Rams generally compact and 

 sturdy, with horns curling back, but not spreading, which gives a narrow 

 appearance to the head. Not tailed. 



Black-faced Mountain Sheep. Small sheep with short legs. Black faces 

 blotched with white and black points. Horns in both sexes ; broad and 

 powerful in rams, and narrow and spreading ewes. Like all mountain sheep, 

 not attractive in appearance especially after shearing, which in the High- 

 lands at all events is carried out in the most perfunctory manner. I saw 

 some sheep from which one would have said that the wool had been torn off 

 in hanclfuls, 



