SUB-BREEDS OP THE MERINO. 29 



bright active eye, clear and free from all tinge of yellow, 

 is an indication of good constitution and health. Any tinge 

 of yellowness is a fault not sufficiently taken note of in judg- 

 ing sheep, for unless the sheep is healthy and sound in every 

 way, whatever excellencies it may possess in other respects 

 are still worthless to the breeder, if the healthful and sound 

 constitution is wanting. 



SUB-BREEDS OF THE MERINO. 



As might be expected, and as has happened with cattle, 

 there will always arise in the breeding of ainy distinct class 

 of sheep, by virtue of the variation due to the different sys- 

 tems, methods, and environments, followed by breeders, 

 some more or less distinct families which have all the 

 special characteristics of the breed, but differ in some 

 special points. The Short-horn breed of cattle for instance- 

 when in the hands of those two reuowed breeders, Mr. Bates 

 and Mr. Booth, soon became differentiated so much as to 

 form two distinct families, known as the Bates and the 

 Booth Short-horns. Each of these still possessed the dis- 

 tinct qualifications of the main breed, but varied as to some 

 special points. Thus one became the best beef animals and 

 the other, with this qualification, possessed excellent dairy 

 qualities. Each breeder it seems, and indeed of necessity, 

 gave a sort of personality to his own stock, and this was 

 maintained by those other breeders who strove to preserve, 

 by similar culture and infusions of new blood of each class, 

 this distinctive difference in minor points, and so infused 

 this personality as may be said into each sub-breed. 



This has occurred, as mjght have been expected, and 

 indeed of necessity, with our Merino sheep. And thus it is 

 that we have some distinct classes or sub-breeds of the 

 Merino, just as have beem produced in the case of the 

 Saxony, the Silesia, the Rambouillet, and the American 

 Merino. These do not necessarily enter into competition 

 with the special Merino, but fill that place which will always 

 exist among sheep breeders, and among the sheep fanners 

 as well, which will always be open^ and is due to individual 

 preferences. It is well that this is so, for it tends to the 

 maintenance of such a competition among these classes, 

 or sub-breeds, as must give rise to the best efforts of all con- 



