38 British Cattle, Sheep, Horses, and Pigs 



the "Cots wolds" are an old and well-known breed of 

 sheep reared on and in the neighbourhood of the 

 Cots wold Hills; the "Lincolns" are one of the old 

 native breeds, and recently a Lincoln ram was sold for 

 1000 guineas ; and the "Kentish " or " Romney Marsh " 

 are bred on the rich tract of grazing land on the 

 southern coast of Kent. The " South Down " sheep are 

 bred on the close, short pastures and chalky soil of the 

 Sussex Downs, and supply small, tender, and juicy 

 joints. The "Cheviots" are found on both sides of the 

 hills that separate England and Scotland. They are 

 very hardy and their wool is straight and close set to 

 enable them to stand the cold climate. The counties 

 of Oxford, Hampshire, Shropshire, and Suffolk are all 

 famous for their breeds of sheep, each of which has its 

 own characteristics. 



Horses are chiefly found in the drier parts of the 

 British Isles, on less hilly ground than the sheep. In 

 England, Yorkshire, Cambridge, Norfolk, and Hunting- 

 don are the chief counties for horses ; in Ireland, Down, 

 Wexford, Louth, and Dublin; and in Scotland, Fife 

 and Linlithgow. The horses of our country are of four 

 kinds or classes. The thoroughbreds are for racing; 

 the hunters for riding or hunting ; carriage horses for 

 light draught; and Shire horses for heavy draught. 



The thoroughbreds and hunters are reared in many 

 parts of England and Ireland. The "Hackney" is a 

 breed of horses that may be trained for either riding or 

 carriage work. They are bred in Norfolk, Cambridge, 

 Huntingdon, Lincoln, and York. The Shire horse is 

 the largest of the work-horses, and is used for drawing 

 heavy vehicles, the plough, and other farm implements. 

 Among the best-known types of the Shire horse are the 



