JUDGING THE MUTTON TYPE OF SHEEP 399 



"peaked" rump, a very objectionable conformation, with 

 the minimum amount of flesh at the top of the leg. But 

 if the rump combines length, levelness and width, then there 

 will be a maximum amount of flesh at this part. The judge 

 should carefully examine the rump, and see that its shape 

 is of the desirable sort, and not due to the shears of the shep- 

 herd. It is a simple matter to make the examination with 

 the hands, as one stands directly back of the animal. De- 

 mand not only a correct conformation, but also a smooth, 

 firm, thick fleshing over this part. 



The thighs of the mutton sheep should be thickly fleshed 

 as may be shown by firmly grasping the, leg between the 

 thumb and fingers in each hand, placing one hand in front 

 of the thick part of the thigh, high up, and the other on the 

 hind part. The general thickness and covering of muscle 

 may thus be easily determined. The fleshing should come 

 down low toward the hock, so as to yield as much meat as 

 possible, both on inside and outside of the thigh. Mutton 

 conformation demands the fullest measure of flesh at this 

 place. 



The twist is the point where the thick, fleshy part of the 

 upper thigh curves sharply to biend with the narrower part 

 of the thigh below on its inner side. One grasps the thigh 

 at the twist with either right or left hand, and feels up 

 into the muscle, when examining the leg of mutton. A 

 rear view of a good example of a newly shorn mutton sheep, 

 will show a wide curve on the inside of each thigh, with a 

 low down fleshing filling in the space at the top of the 

 curves. The thinner and more slender the leg, the less evi- 

 dent the twist, and the higher up the attachment between. 

 A very marked twist guarantees a wide, thick-fleshed sheep 

 in its rear end. 



The hind legs of the mutton sheep should be straight, 

 short and strong, for the same reasons given regarding the 

 front legs. However, the hind legs have the hock joint, and 

 the sheep has quite a tendency to bring the points of the 

 hocks together. When this occurs, the space between the 



