British Breeds of Sheep 119 



wold sires. There formerly existed much difficulty 

 in keeping a newly formed half-bred flock to one 

 character. The first cross and their produce will 

 be dissimilar; some will partake too much of the 

 long wool, while others are too small and short- 

 coated. The owner formerly divided his flock into 

 three parts, putting a half-bred ram to the ewes that 

 were about right, a Cotswold to the smaller ones, and 

 a Down to the coarser sheep. By constant atten- 

 tion to these points, a flock may be brought to some 

 degree of uniformity; but the breeder frequently 

 found that the fleece was a little too short or the face 

 rather too white ; by using pure Cotswold or Down 

 rams, he rushed into the other extreme, the produce 

 too much resembling their sires. There is now no 

 need of running back to the pure breeds, as there are 

 numerous Down-Cotswold rams to be found varying 

 in size, color, and wool, according to the fancy of the 

 breeder, which will meet the deficiencies of any half- 

 bred flock." In the same report, this author con- 

 tinues : "The Down Cotswold sheep of this country 

 were originally a cross between the Cotswold ram 

 and the Hampshire Down ewe, but the cross having 

 been bred from nearly twenty years without the in- 

 fusion of any fresh blood has become a distinct 

 breed." 



Qualities desired by breeders of Oxford Downs. — 

 The aim of the early breeders seemed to be to produce 

 a sheep with the weight of a long-wooled representa- 



