CHAP. i. SHROPSHIRE SHEEP. 498 



a fine quality, and generally had white faces and legs, although some- 

 times a little freckled. They were light in the bone, and had small 

 clean limbs. 



In the third volume of the Shropshire Flock-Book, Mr. A. Mansell 

 wrote an introduction, from which the following particulars are mainly 

 taken. The Shropshire sheep is descended from a breed which has 

 been known to exist in Shropshire and Staffordshire for upwards of a 

 century, for Plymley, writing on the agriculture of Shropshire in 1803, 

 thus describes the sheep : " There is a breed of sheep on the Long- 

 mynd with horns and black faces that seems an indigenous sort. They 

 are nimble, hardy, and weigh nearly 10 Ib. per quarter when fatted. 

 The fleeces, upon the average, may yield 



Photo by G. R. Parsons. 



Fig. 123. Shropshire Ram. 



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

 The property of Mr. Matthew Williams, Whiston Hall, nr. Wolverhampton. 



The recognition of the breed in the Eoyal Agricultural Society's 

 showy ard, at Gloucester in 1853, was the turning point with the 

 Shropshire sheep, and encouraged breeders to use their best judgment 

 in selection and do all in their power to place their breed of sheep in 

 the front rank. 



Many years ago much used to be written respecting a want of 

 uniformity of character and type amongst Shropshires, but now breeders 

 may fairly be congratulated upon having established the character of 

 the breed and the particular type to be aimed at, as well as the breeders 

 of any other sheep. 



In describing " what a Shropshire sheep should be," Mr. Mansell 

 says, " I cannot do better than give the points which influenced the 



