ii8 THE SHEEP AND ITS COUSINS 



minated in the modern Cotswold. Formerly the 

 Cotswolds were of the large, coarse, lanky, slow- 

 maturing type common to the old representatives of 

 the long-woolled group ; but the old stock was 

 crossed with Bakewell Leicesters, and thereby 

 modified into an improved type. The improvement 

 was not, however, so great as in the case of some 

 of the other long-woolled breeds ; and Cotswold 

 sheep, in common with the Romney Marsh breed, 

 exhibit, according to Professor Low,^ a marked 

 tendency to accumulate fat on the rump almost to 

 the degree of producing a deformity. This is of 

 particular interest in connection with the fat- 

 rumped breeds of Asia and Africa discussed in a 

 later chapter. 



The Cotswold is specially distinguished from 

 other representatives of the long-woolled group by 

 the great development of wool on the forehead, 

 where it forms a large curly patch, descending in 

 some cases as far down as the nostrils. The 

 slightly Roman-nosed face may show a tinge or 

 spots of grey or brown, and is dark at the nostrils 

 and relatively broad between the eyes and the 

 muzzle. The back shows the breadth and flatness 

 of the Leicester, but the body is frequently less 

 deep, thereby communicating a somewhat leggy 

 appearance to the whole animal. The wool, which 

 is of a lustrous, although somewhat coarse char- 



1 Op. cil., p. 189. 



