MEDIUM-TAILED BRITISH BREEDS 105 



remarkably well ; the average weight of mature 

 rams being about 175 lbs., and that of ewes 135 

 lbs. Considerably heavier weights are, however, 

 recorded, 206 lbs., for instance, in the case of rams, 

 and 150 lbs. in ewes. Since Ellman's time the 

 quality of the fleece has undoubtedly been improved. 

 For the purposes of the grazier and the butcher, 

 the Southdown stands unrivalled ; it comes to 

 maturity early, the mutton is of fine grain and 

 flavour, without, under ordinary feeding, an ex- 

 cessive amount of fat, the bone is fine, and the 

 quantity of offal comparatively small. The flavour 

 of Southdown mutton, when raised on its native 

 hills, is said to be partly due to the number of small 

 snails consumed by these sheep as they graze on 

 the short and sweet grass of the chalk country. 



Another valuable attribute of the Southdown is 

 its docile and tractable disposition, which renders it 

 easy to shepherd, and avoids waste of substance by 

 excessive and unnecessary exertion. It has also a 

 sound and healthy constitution, its close and com- 

 pact fleece enables it to resist changes of tempera- 

 ture with more or less complete immunity, while it 

 will thrive on comparatively scant pasture. The 

 ewes are also very prolific. 



All these favourable factors have combined to 

 render the Southdown, despite the inferior quality 

 of its wool, which is unfitted for the manufacture of 

 the finer kinds of cloth, one of the most favourite 



