112 THE SHEEP AND ITS COUSINS 



others, to which may be added the lower parts of 

 Devonshire, and the valleys of the larger rivers in 

 various parts of the country. The second locality 

 of the long-woolled sheep comprehends the flat 

 alluvial tracts of fens on the eastern coasts and the 

 shores of Kent. Conformably to this division, 

 the long-woolled sheep may be arranged in two 

 general groups ; first, those of the inland plains, 

 represented by Teeswater, Leicester, and other 

 varieties ; and, secondly, those of the fens and 

 alluvial country, represented by the breeds of 

 Lincolnshire and Romney Marsh." 



Following this classification, the first breed for 

 notice will be the Lincoln, which, although now 

 extinct in its original form, survives in the modern 

 improved breed, commonly known as the new 

 Lincoln. The old type was a big, coarse, leggy, 

 white-faced, hornless sheep, which exceeded in 

 stature and bulk all other British breeds, and in 

 Europe was surpassed in these respects only by 

 the largest merinos. The unusually thick skin 

 carried an abundant crop of long, coarse wool, the 

 flesh was likewise coarse-fibred and of inferior 

 quality, and the animals were slow in coming to 

 maturity. From this stock, which much resembled 

 the old Leicester breed, was produced, by crossing 

 with new Leicester blood, the modern Lincoln, 

 which still remains the largest and longest-woolled 

 British breed, and grows the heaviest fleece. 



