THE COTSWOLD BKEED. 189 



ago, the New Leicester Breed, on its extension throughout 

 the central counties, was made to cross the Cotswold as well 

 as all the Long-woolled sheep of Gloucestershire. This sys- 

 tem of crossing was pursued so extensively, that after a time 

 there did not, perhaps, exist a single Cotswold flock which 

 was not more or less mixed in blood with the New Leicester 

 Breed. The effect was, as in other cases, to diminish the 

 bulk of body of the existing breed, and lessen the produce of 

 wool, but to communicate to the individuals a greater deli- 

 cacy of form. Between twenty and thirty years ago, how- 

 ever, the Cotswold breeders began to apprehend that their 

 flocks were losing too much in carcass and fleece, and be- 

 coming less fitted for the climate of their native hills. From 

 this period, a preference began to be given to the native stock, 

 and for many years past, crossing has been scarcely practised, 

 and most of the breeders have been desirous to revert more 

 to the former model of their breed. 



The modern Cotswold Sheep are of a size somewhat supe- 

 rior to the highest bred New Leicesters, and their wool is 

 more close upon the body. The staple measures from 6 to 8 

 inches, and the fleece weighs, upon a medium, from 7 to 8 lb., 

 that of the inferior flocks not exceeding 5 and 6 lb. It is 

 strong, of a good colour, rather coarse, but of a mellow 

 quality. These sheep have not been brought to the same 

 perfection of form as the New Leicester, and, like the sheep 

 of Romney Marsh, they tend to accumulate fat on the rump 

 almost to the degree of producing deformity ; but they are 

 hardy, and usually of sound constitutions. The females are 

 prolific, and good nurses, and the lambs are early covered with 

 a close fleece. At a former period, when tillage was less 

 extended than now, the Cotswold Sheep were frequently sent 

 in winter to the valleys of the Thames and Severn, and gene- 

 rally sold in the lean state at between two and three years 

 old. But since the old sheep-walks have been broken up, and 

 turnips and artificial grasses cultivated, the greater part of 

 the sheep that are reared in the country are likewise fattened 



