CHAP. I. 



BLACK-FACED MOUNTAIN SHEEP. 



467 



stocking of high and exposed districts with any finer-woolled class of 

 sheep. 



" The hardy mountain breed," as the Black-faces are called, can thrive 

 on coarse and exposed grazings, where the other breeds are hardly able 

 to pick up a living at all. Another potent cause of their popularity 

 and wideness of distribution is the great improvement effected in the 

 breed within the last forty years. Not only has the breed been 

 modified for the better as regards symmetry of form, weight of carcass, 

 and weight as well as character of wool, but the valuable property of 

 early maturity has been considerably developed in them. In fact, it is 

 no uncommon thing now to have them brought out fat at from 9 to 

 18 months old, where formerly they were rarely ready for the butcher 



Fig. 101. Black-faced Mountain Sheep. 



till they were three years old. Black-faced mutton is equivalent to 

 the "prime Scots" of the London market, and it always commands 

 high prices in any market. Black-faced ewes are also frequently 

 mated with Leicester rams to produce what are called grey-faced 

 or " cross " lambs, and these are excellent, not only for fat lambs, but 

 for fattening off as hogs, and like the Black-faces, they often command 

 the highest price in the market. 



The points of the black-faced sheep are easily defined. The face 

 should be broad and full and strong at the muzzle, the colour of the 

 face and legs being clean black and white, with the black predominating. 

 The horns should be low at the crown, with a clear space between the 

 roots, and should come away with a wide circle sloping slightly backward 

 and quite clear of the cheek. The eye should be bright and lively, the 

 neck- strong and full, the shoulder broad and deep, with the chest wide 



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