CHAP. ii. NAMES OF SHEEP. 501 



of times they have been shorn; or "two-teeth," "four-teeth," "six- 

 teeth," or " full-mouthed " rams, as indicated by their teeth (see pages 

 41516). 



When male sheep have been castrated, they are termed from the 

 period of weaning to that of shearing wether, or wedder or shear hogs 

 or tegs, then shearings, shearlings, dinmonts, &c. ; or they are after the 

 first shearing denominated two-teeth, then three or four-teeth wethers, 

 and finally, full-mouthed. 



The females from the time of weaning to the first shearing are 

 termed ewe or gimmer-hogsor tegs ; they then take the name of shear- 

 ling ewes, gimmers or theaves, which continues only for one year, after 

 which they are denominated twinters and thunters, viz., two and three- 

 shear, or four-shear ewes, or are named, in the same way as male 

 sheep, according to their teeth ; subsequently they become old ewes 

 or crones. 



Breeds like the Hampshire Down, which are fed well all their lives, 

 renew their first two teeth at from 12 to 16 months, and sometimes sooner, 

 but the subsequent pairs come at intervals of less than a year between 

 each pair, and the sheep are generally full-mouthed at 3 years. At 

 the second shearing there are 4 teeth up, and at the third shearing 

 6 have been up for some little time ; in a few months afterwards the 

 mouth is " full." 



With respect to the selection of sheep, as an item of live stock, 

 the same principle of symmetry of form, and other requisites belonging 

 to a good breed of cattle, such as have already been specified, are 

 equally applicable. The breeder, or grazier, should examine the nature 

 of his land; and, having attentively weighed its relative degree of 

 fertility, and his various sources for supplying food, he may proceed to 

 purchase that breed which, after mature consideration, he has reason 

 to believe is best adapted to his circumstances. On this point the 

 introductory view of breeds and varieties, already given, will probably 

 afford some guidance. 



We proceed, however, to state some particular points that will 

 demand the breeder's attention ; and, as in all cases the male has the 

 greater influence, we begin by specifying the requisites that are essential 

 to a good ram. 



" His head should be well formed arid masculine ; his nostrils wide 

 and expanded ; his eyes prominent, and rather bold and daring ; his 

 ears thin; his collar full from his breast and shoulders, but tapering 

 gradually all the way to the junction of the neck and head, which 

 should be fine and graceful, being perfectly free from any coarse 

 leather hanging down. The shoulders should be broad and full, and 

 must at the same time join so freely to the collar forward and chine 

 backward, as not to leave the least hollow in either place. The mutton 

 upon his arm, or fore-thigh, must come quite to the knee ; his legs 

 should be upright with a clean fine bone, equally free from superfluous 

 skin and coarse hairy wool, from the knee and hough downwards. 

 The breast broad and well forward, which will keep his fore-legs at a 

 proper width from each other. His girth, or chest, should be full and 

 deep, and, instead of a hollow behind the shoulders, that part, by 



