64 



SHEOPSHIEE DOWN SHEEP. 



as their faces became white he would then have recourse to a 

 South Down or other dark-faced sheep. It was, however, 

 left to the son to carry out and to bring to a successful issue 

 what the father had commenced, and Mr. Samuel Meire no 

 doubt may be looked upon as the founder of the improved 

 Shropshire Downs. "We gather from his address to the 

 Wenilock Farmers' Club that he accomplished this, not by 

 resorting to any of the established breeds, but by using the 

 best annuals from his own large flock. * * Lately a 

 very great change has come over the breeders of Shropshire ; 

 they have availed themselves of larger sheep of heavier fleece 

 and earlier maturity, so that the only affinity they bear to the 

 original Shrop are dark faces and legs ; they now pride them- 

 selves in exhibiting some well fatted shearlings [yearlings 

 past,] weighing upon times 22 lbs. to 24 lbs. per quarter, but 

 this is not general. 



SHEOPSHIEE DOWJf EV.IJ. 



Very fine specimens of this variety have been imported 

 into the United States and Canada. The two animals repre- 

 sented in the foregoing cuts are owned by Hon. N. L. Chaffee, 



