OFFICIAL STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR SHEEP 131 



III. OFFICIAL STANDARDS OF EXCELLENCE FOR SHEEP. 



SOUTHDOWN SHEEP. 



c 



STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE AMERICAN SOUTHDOWN 



RECORD, VOL. I, 1884. (J 



Head Medium in size and hornless, fine, carried well up, 

 forehead or face well covered with wool, especially be- 

 tween the ears and on the cheeks, and in the ewe slightly 

 dished 5 



Lips and under jaw fine and thin 1 



Ears Rather small, tolerably wide apart, covered with fine 

 hair and carried with a lively back and forth move- 

 ment 2 



Eyes Full and bright .. ... 



Face A uniform tint of brown, or gray, or mouse color 3 



Neck Short, fine at the head, but nicely tapering, and broad 

 and straight on top at the shoulders 4 



Shoulders Broad and full, smoothly joining the neck with 

 the back 5 



Breast Wide, deep and projecting well forward, the fore- 

 Jegs standing well apart 5 



Back and loin broad and straight from shoulders to rump... 7 



Ribs Well arched, extending far backward, the last project- 

 ing more than the others 6 



Rump Broad, square and full, with tail well set up 6 



Hips Wide, with little space between tnem and the last ribs. 6 



Thighs Full and well let down in twist, the legs (standing 

 well apart 6 



Limbs Short and fine in bone, and in color to agree with 

 face 3 



Fore Legs Well wooled and carrying mutton to the knees, 

 but free from meat below 2 



Hind Legs Well filled with mutton and wooled to the hocks, 

 neat and clean below 2 



Belly Straight and well covered with wool, the flank extend- 

 ing so as to form a line parallel with the back or top 

 line 5 



Fleece Compact, the whole body well covered with moder- 

 ately long and close wool, white in color, carrying some 

 yolk 12 



Form Throughout smooth and symmetrical, with no coarse- 

 ness in any part 9 



General Appearance Spirited and attractive, with a de- 

 termined look, a proud and firm step, indicating consti- 

 tutional vigor and thorough breeding 8 



Total , o 100 



