CHAPTER VII. 



Different Breeds of Sheep. 



The introduction of the Merino sheep has done much 

 to improve the different breeds of British sheep. And 

 in almost every county, which formerly had their dis- 

 tinct and recognisable breeds, the Merino blood has, 

 to a certain extent, been introduced. In our descrip- 

 tion of the ram, page 565, we have detailed the points 

 which are now generally admitted to be the best in 

 the form of sheep. So many crosses have taken place 

 of late years, that there is hardly a breed which 

 possesses characters by which they can be dis- 

 tinguished, if we except those which feed on the 

 mountainous tracts of Wales and Scotland, which are 

 for the most part small animals, and many of the 

 flocks with black faces, and both males and females 

 provided with horns. These sheep are remarkable for 

 their fine, close-grained, muscular fibre. Nearly allied 

 to these are those of the Westmoreland, Yorkshire, 

 and Northumberland mountain sheep, with white 

 faces. Those which are now most propagated are 

 long-woolled, and also such as is of a fine texture. 

 These were first successfully improved in the following 

 counties, viz., Cumberland, Dorset, Hereford, Norfolk, 

 and Sussex ; and these may be considered as the 

 parent stocks of all our modern improved varieties. 

 To attempt a specific description of these is now 

 almost impossible, as the distinguishing character- 

 istics of each are mere shades of difference. 



