MUTl'ON BREEDS. 35 



without their fleeces. In fact, the owner will 

 betray his consternation before the novice ha.s 

 selected half a dozen and remark, ' ' i'ou may 

 not know much about sheep but I can't let 

 you select from my flock." 



The English breeds are naturally divided 

 into classes of Downs, Long- Wools and Moun- 

 tain breeds. 



THE DOWNS. 



In the south of England is a chain of chalky 

 hills, covered with tine, short grass. Since 

 history began there has been on these hills 

 a race of short-wooled sheep; in their early 

 history, witli horns. Erom this old type has 

 come the Southdown, the Hampshire Down, 

 the Sussex, Oxford, Shropshire Downs and the 

 Dorset horned. 



SOTJTHDOWNS. 



This sheep is a striking illustration of what 

 the genius of man can do. Before the day 

 of George the Third the unimproved Downs 

 of Sussex were "of small size and bad shape, 

 long in neck, low at both ends, light in shoul- 

 der, narrow at the fore end, and shaped like 

 a soda water bottle, small in front and heavier 

 in the middle; large of bone, but boasting a 

 big leg of mutton. The fleece was not so close 

 and firm as now. ' ' 



Once the Southdown was homed but now 

 there is seldom a scur to remind you of the 

 past. Today the breed is one of the most 

 perfectly formed breeds in existence. The 



