BREED CHARACTERISTICS 



407 



extends well forward, thus giving a large chest capacity. The 

 frame is large, which provides for the extraordinary size to 

 which the breed develops. The animal is long in body, deep, 

 broad, and square over the back. 



The head is large and somewhat inclined to be plain, 

 although not to a serious extent. The forehead is broad, 

 the jaws deep and the muzzle large and characterized by 



FIG. 175. Oxford ram. 



open nostrils. The neck is full, broad, and compact, the 

 shoulders smoothly developed and the chest girth square and 

 full. The leg of mutton is large, although it does not possess 

 the quality of some of the smaller breeds. The fleece covers 

 the entire animal, with the exception of the face, cheeks, 

 muzzle extremity, and frequently the legs from the knees 

 and hocks down. The face and legs are uniformly brown 

 in color. The fleece of this breed is rather coarse and open. 

 It is ordinarily classed as the longest and coarsest fleece 



