Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock at Manchester. 523 
this class, and the Duke of Richmond's No. 937 was an animal of gi-eat merit, 
jiossessiiig the first quality of mutton and wool, with beautiful character, 
but was not level ou the back. Lord Sondes and Mr. Humphrey showed some 
good rams also. 
There were 11 entries in Class 103 for pens of Shearling Ewes. Some 
were exceedinsjly good. We considered Lord Sondes's surpassed all the others, 
and awarded them the first prize. Sir W. Throckmorton took the second prize 
with a pen little inferior to the first. Lord Walsingham exhibited two pens 
of very good and useful ewes, showing substance and good breeding. We 
thought this class generally good. 
The Report ends by an expression of regret on the part of the 
writers that they cannot ask their fellow Judge to append his 
name, as they differed so materially from him as to the quality 
of the Southdown sheep shown, and as he had protested against 
their award. 
It is, of course, a matter of interest to all lovers of stock- 
breeding, and especially to the breeders and admirers of pure 
Southdowns, to ascertain the reasons which induced Mr. Ellman 
to differ so widely from his fellow Judges in his opinion of the 
merits of the sheep of that race exhibited at Manchester. In 
his separate report Mr. Ellman says : — 
The object of the Royal Agricultural Society is the encouragement of the 
breeding and improvement of animals. The distribution of the classes clearly 
■-shows the intention of the Society to be the encouragement of purity of breed, 
without which we should have a heterogeneous mass of animals, involving 
the Judges in a labyrinth of diiSculty to distinguish breeds. A responsi- 
bility is attached to the duties of a Judge, which I endeavoured to meet with 
assiduity and honest intention. 
We commenced operations by scanning the merits and demerits of the 
yearling rams of the Southdown breed, and I regret to announce the conflict- 
ing opinions thus early engendered, which were not diminished as we pro- 
ceeded. With regard to appearance, who can decide but a breeder of the 
animal in its native district ? 
Every animal has been bred for some particular purpose, and in many dis- 
tricts for diSerent purposes ; as, for instance, the Leicester sheep for feeding 
on flat and rich soils, while the Southdown sheep have been shaped for work- 
ing upon poor and mountainous districts. The wool of the first makes a pro- 
fitable investment, the latter a protection against the inclemency of the 
weather in exposed districts. 
I am particular upon this subject, as thereon hangs the thread of our con- 
flicting opinions. I freely admit the merits of the Southdown sheep in general ; 
and, if no criterion of purity is to be observed, very little difficulty will exist. 
In that case it would he only necessary to select the best-formed animal. 
Upon first examination of the Southdown yearling rams I was puzzled to 
decide upon the predominant feature ; so different were the shades, from black 
to white. 
In this dilemma I could only refer to the prevalent colour of the face, the 
•quality of the wool, and general appearance of the animal, which constitute 
a good Southdown sheep, and are generally adopted by native breeders. 
With respect to the exhibition of Southdown sheep at this meeting, it did 
not meet my expectation, either in the quality of mutton or their general 
appearance. A prevalent opinion appears to exist in inland counties that 
quality and form should be sacrificed for quantity. This is a heterodox 
