230 UNGULATES. 



The Dartmoor and Exmoor sheep may be taken as samples of 



the breeds of the older forests, commons, and chases. They frequently 



have dark or grey faces and limbs, and may be with or without horns ; while their 



size is small. The two races mentioned differ from the others in having wool of 



medium length, instead of extreme shortness. 



The well-known Southdown breed, derived from the chalk hills 



of Sussex, are characterised by the absence of horns, their dark brown 



faces, ears, and limbs, and their short felting wool. Their size and weight are 



HEAD OF MERINO RAM. 



subject to local variation ; but their heads are always comparatively small, their 

 lower jaws thin and fine, and the space between their ears well covered with wool. 

 A good Southdown carries more meat in proportion to offal than does any other of 

 the short- woolled varieties. 



Dorsets ^ Q Dorset and pink-nosed Somerset breed, are indigenous to 



the south-west of England, and are easily recognised by their long 

 limbs, the presence of horns in both sexes, and their white limbs and faces, the 

 muzzle being often flesh-coloured. The wool is of medium length, and the lambs 

 are produced unusually early. There is a variety of the Dorset breed in Dean 

 Forest and on the Mendip Hills, small, compact animals that thrive on the poorest 

 soil. The Portland sheep are an allied but smaller breed. 



Merino ^ e sma ^ merino sheep, in which the males have long spiral 



horns while the females are usually hornless, may have either 

 white or grey faces and limbs, and are distinguished from all other breeds by the 

 great length and fineness of their wool. Originally a native of Spain, the breed has 



