HISTORY OF STAFFORDSHIRE. [71 



three only are deserving of particular attention. These are, 1. 

 the grey-faced, hornless, with fine wool, natives of Cannock-heath 

 and Sutton Coldfield ; 2. the white-faced, hornless, with long or 

 combing wool, introduced from Leicestershire ; 3. the South Down 

 breed, introduced by Lord Bradford, Lord Anson, and some other 

 public-spirited gentlemen. 



The grey-faced, without horns, are the native common sheep : 

 their characteristics are grey faces, lighter or darker, varying from 

 white to black in different shades ; the legs of the same colour with 

 the face ; wool fine, closely and compactly covering the carcass, of 

 a moderate size. Those from a sound walk, and a good managing 

 master, are well disposed to fatten, and produce mutton equal to 

 that from any other breed. The better breed of these sheep are 

 similar to the South Down, and not inferior : their general fault 

 has been the want of thickness in proportion to their length. The 

 late Sir Edward Littleton, with a patriotism highly commendable, 

 for many years set the example of improving this breed, by crossing 

 with Ross rams, by which he produced what he called the Teddes- 

 ley breed, improved in form, increased in weight, and the wool re- 

 fined in a very high degree. Sir Edward kept several hundreds of 

 these sheep, the ewes fattening from 12 to 16 Ibs. the quarter, and 

 the wethers 16 to 20 Ibs. The ewes of this breed are good milkers, 

 and, if taken into pasture at lambing time, will feed every lamb be- 

 fore Midsummer fit for the butcher, and themselves the same by 

 Michaelmas. These sheep, taken into pasture and crossed with 

 strong rams, make a heavy breed of sheep, and have been brought 

 to weigh, the ewes to 20 Ibs. and the wethers to 30 Ibs. the quarter. 

 The fleeces of those of the original size will average about 3 Ibs. each. 



2. The white-faced polled sheep, with combing wool. The best 

 flocks of this breed now in the county have been introduced or 

 crossed from Leicestershire, and refined and improved in a high 

 degree upon principles introduced by the late Mr. Bakewell, of 

 Dishley. They are fine and light in the bone, thick and plump in 

 the carcass, broad across the loin, with the back bone well covered, 

 and not rising into a ridge, but sinking in a nick ; fine and clean in 

 the neck and shoulder ; not too short in the leg, and of a sufficient 

 bulk to weigh, when fat, the ewes 20 to 25 Ibs. per quarter, and the 

 wethers at from 18 months to two years old, 24 to 30 Ibs. per 

 quarter ; but if kept another year, or till full grown, select sheep 

 will rise to 40 and even 50 Ibs. the quarter, and upwards. The ewe 

 fleeces weigh about 7 Ibs. each, and the rams and wethers 8 to 



