336 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



that these enormous prices were paid by the principal 

 breeders, for the purpose of improving their own stock. 



The British Sheep may be considered as forming two 

 combined races, collectively distinguishable from others by 

 a very small delicately-formed head, the chaffron not much 

 arched ; those derived from the original or old breed with 

 horns, the others mostly without. The line of the back is 

 in general straight, the quarters full, the ears small, the 

 legs slender, the tail rather long, and the scrotum voluminous. 

 According to Mr. Culley there are fourteen different breeds 

 of sheep in the kingdom, all of them sufficiently distin- 

 guished by their horns, or by being hornless ; by the colour 

 of their faces and legs, and by the length and quality of 

 their wool. To these Mr. Dickson adds two more breeds ; 

 and Mr. Parkinson enumerates no less than thirty-seven, 

 to each of which are assigned one or more characteristic 

 peculiarities. 



Mr. Culley thus describes the best form of a ram. 

 " His head should be fine and small ; his nostrils wide and 

 expanded ; his eyes prominent and rather bold and daring ; 

 ears thin ; his collar full from his breast and shoulders, but 

 tapering gradually all the way to where the head and neck 

 join, which should be very fine and graceful, being perfectly 

 free from any coarse leather hanging down ; the shoulders 

 broad and full, which must, at the same time, join so easy 

 to the collar forward, and chine backward, as to leave not 

 the least hollow in either place ; the mutton upon his arm 

 or fore-thigh must come quite to the knee ; his legs up- 

 right, with a clear fine bone, being equally clear from su- 

 perfluous skin and coarse hairy wool, from the knee and 

 hough downwards; the breast broad and well forward, 

 which will keep his fore-legs at a proper wideness ; his 

 girth or chest full and deep ; and, instead of a hollow be- 

 hind the shoulders, that part, by some called the fore-flank, 

 should be quite full ; the back and loins broad, flat, and 



