204 Animal Husbandry 
records of their breeding operations at Rambouillet for upwards 
of a hundred years. Much progress was made in point of size, but 
the fleece did not increase in the same ratio. 
327. Rambouillet compared with the American Merino. — The 
former does not differ from the latter except in size and possibly in 
asmoother body. Individuals of the former, both male and female, 
may go as much as a hundred pounds heavier than the latter. 
The Rambouillet is often criticised for possessing a tendency to 
coarseness of bone and length of leg. The large body, usually 
smooth and free from folds, except occasionally a few wrinkles 
on the neck, is completely covered with a fine, white fleece, which, 
however, lacks the yolk or oil of the American Merino (Fig. 74). 
THE MUTTON BREEDS OF SHEEP 
Tue Name, Native Home, Cotor or Points, APPROXIMATE LENGTH OF 
Woot, WrEicHT oF FLEECE, AND THE AVERAGE WEIGHT oF SHEEP 
For Eacu or THE MuttTon BREEDS 
NAME OF NaTIVE CoLor oF LenetH or | WEIGHT OF WEIGHT OF 
BreEepD Home Points Woot, In. | Woot, Las. | Seep, Las. 
Southdown | England | Gray 2-3 4-8 125-175 
Shropshire England | Dark brown 3-4 8-12 155-225 
Hampshire England | Dark brown 3-4 5-8 180-250 
Suffolk Down} England | Black 3-5 5-8 180-240 
Oxford Down| England | Brown 4-6 6-10 200-325 
Dorset England | White 3-4 6-9 150-225 
Cheviot Scotland | White 5-8 6-10 150-225 
England 
328. Southdown mutton sheep. — This breed was developed 
in southeast England, particularly in the county of Sussex. Ex- 
tending east and west through this region is a range of low chalky 
hills known as the South Downs from which the breed derives its 
name. The native sheep were small and ill-shaped, with light 
