British Breeds of Sheep 81 



and good ' sheep were clearly Mr. Ellmaixn's aim ; 

 Mr. Webb's, 'large and good.' Believing that large 

 sheep were much the best and would be the sheep 

 of the future, I need not say how well Mr. Webb 

 succeeded in producing animals of large frame and 

 greater weight than the Southdowns of Mr. Elmann's 

 day; while at the same time, retaining the true 

 type and all the essential points of a pure-bred 

 Southdown sheep." Mr. Webb's honors and suc- 

 cesses have been many. It is unnecessary to recount 

 his winnings at the Royal and other shows; it is 

 sufficient to say that he has sold rams for as much as 

 250 guineas, the price a yearling brought in 1860. 

 In 1861 and 1862, the flock was dispersed, bringing 

 16,646 pounds. The Southdown has made an 

 exceptional record for prize winning in the leading 

 shows of both continents. The first noted victory 

 to draw the attention of the world was at the Paris 

 Exposition in 1878, when the Southdowns shown by 

 Lord Walsingham carried off the first prize of 1500 

 francs offered for the best pen of butcher's sheep, 

 and also the grand prize for the best pen of sheep of 

 any foreign (other than French) breed. 



Appearance of Southdowns. — In contrast with 

 the type of most other breeds of sheep, the South- 

 down is very low, level, and compact in construction. 

 There is an absence of waste in bone, flesh, or fleece, 

 which no other breed can approach. Quality which 

 is antagonistic to waste is the leading feature of the 



