CHAP. I. 



OXFORD DOWN SHEEP. 



491 



history is practically contemporaneous with the Victorian era, for it 

 was during the reign of William IV. that the idea occurred almost 

 simultaneously to a few distinguished sheep breeders of that day to 

 establish the new breed. Since that time its success has been 

 remarkable. An association was started in 1888, and the first volume 

 of the Flock Book appeared in the following year. In the introduction 

 thereto, the secretary Mr. R. Henry Rew observes that " Oxford 

 Downs are now found in districts so widely separated ranging from 



vto by 



J. T. A'eunnan. 



Fig. 122. Oxford Down Ewe Lambs. 



First at the Royal Agricultural Society's Show at Lincoln, 1907. 

 The property of Mr. Hugh W. Stilgoe, Addisbury, Banbury. 



Cornwall to Scotland and from Wales to Norfolk that it must obviously 

 be a work of some little time to bring all those who are interested in 

 the breed into touch with the association." The following particulars 

 are condensed from the introductions to the first and second volumes 

 of the Flock Book : 



For a long time after its establishment the new breed went by various 

 names. That most in vogue for some years was the term "Down 

 Cotswolds." It was about the year 1857, at a meeting of breeders 

 held in Oxford, that the title of " Oxfordshire Downs " now for the 

 sake of convenience shortened to Oxford Downs was adopted. There 

 was a slight difference in the original cross, Mr. Druce using South- 

 downs and Cotswolds, and Mr. Twynam Hampshires and Cotswolds, 



