BREED CHARACTERISTICS 395 



Nostrils: wide. 



Color: (head and legs) dark brown or black 



Eyes: prominent and lustrous. 



Ears: moderately long and thin, and dark brown or black 



color. 

 Legs: well under outside of body, straight, with good size 



of bone, black. 



Neck, Shoulders and Chest: 



Neck: A regular taper from shoulders to head, without any 



hollow in front of shoulders, set high up on body. 

 Shoulders: sloping, full, and not higher than the line of back 



and neck. 

 Chest: deep and full in the heart place, with breast prominent 



and full. 



Body: 



Back: straight, with full spring of rib. 



Loin: wide and straight, without depression in front of hips. 



Quarters: long from hips to rump, without sloping, and deep 



in thigh. Broad in hips and rump, with full hams. Inside 



of thigh full. 



Scale of Points: 



Points. 



Head: size and shape, 5; ears and eyes, 3; color, 5; legs and 



feet, 2 . .... 15 

 Neck: shoulders and breast — neck, 5; shoulders, 10; chest 



and breast, 15 . . .30 



Body: back and loins, 15; rib, 5 . . 20 



Quarters: length, 10; width, 10; twist, 5 25 



Wool: forehead and cheeks, 2; belly, well covered, 3; quality, 5 10 



Total ... .100 



Southdown. — The Southdown is the smallest of the 

 middle wool breeds of sheep. The weight of rams ranges 

 from 150 to 175 pounds and ewes from 130 to 140 pounds. 

 From the standpoint of form and quality, the breed is 

 almost ideal. The animal is straight in its lines, squarely 

 built, and compact throughout. The latter attribute is 

 one of the most desirable qualities of the breed. The bone 

 is fine, the fat not excessive and the flesh of the finest flavor. 

 The color of the face and legs is of a rich grayish brown. The 

 fleece extends over the poll and forehead, up to the eyes and 

 to the extremity of the lower jaws. On the legs it extends 

 well below the knees and hocks. The fleece is of medium 

 length, fine in quality, very dense and has a close crimp for 



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