64 HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS. 



improving this animal, unknown at any former 

 period.. 



The superior qualities of the Leicestershire breed 

 are, that they will feed quickly fat at almost any 

 age, even on indifferent pastures, and carry the 

 greatest quantity of mutton upon the smallest bone. 

 Their carcases are round, have remarkably broad 

 backs, and short legs; and to shew the immense 

 weight to which they may be fed, we give the 

 measurement of a Ram of Mr. Bakewell's, men- 

 tioned by Young in his "Eastern Tour." At three 

 years old, his girt was five feet ten inches; height, 

 two feet five inches; breadth over his shoulders, 

 one foot eleven inches and a half; breadth over his 

 ribs, one foot ten inches and a half; breadth over 

 his hips, one foot nine inches and a half. 



The great importance of this breed of Sheep will 

 best be shewn, by stating the following facts re- 

 specting the modern practice of letting out Rams 

 for hire by the season; which, from very small 

 beginnings, has already risen to an astonishing 

 height; and is likely, for some time, to prove a 

 copious source of wealth to the country at large. 

 About forty years ago, Mr. Bakewell let out Rams 

 at sixteen and seventeen shillings a-piece; and 

 from that time, the prices kept gradually rising 

 from one guinea to ten. But the most rapid in- 

 crease has taken place since the year 1780. Four 

 hundred guineas have been repeatedly given. Mr. 

 Bakewell, in the year 1789, made twelve hundred 

 guineas by three Rams; two thousand of seven; 

 and, of his whole stock, three thousand guineas. 

 Astonishing as this may appear, it is nevertheless 

 an undoubted fact. But it ought to be observed 

 that these great prices are not given by graziers, 



