Report on the Exhibition of Live Stock at Bi7-/niiu/ham. 581 
Another highly popular breed of sheep is the Oxfordshire 
Down, and this, too, was so admirably represented as not merely 
to maintain the high position which it had previously attained, 
but to suggest that never before had a more splendid collection of 
animals of the correct type been brought together. The class for 
shearling rams had no less than twenty-eight entries, and the 
I greater number were so superior that the Judges confessed the duty 
a most arduous and perplexing one satisfactorily to discriminate 
between so many animals of extraordinary merit. In making 
their draft of the really good, no less than a dozen were selected, 
I and then the almost impossible task of extracting the creme de la 
crcme presented itself. They at length fixed on a very grand 
sheep for first prize, belonging to Mr. Albert Brassey, whose mas- 
sive form was well proportioned, with a plait and leg of mutton 
calculated to kindle fire in a grazier's eye. But one of Mr. Milton 
Druce's seemed well-nigh equal in a beautifully modelled form, 
with something more of quality, and to this they awarded second 
prize. The third prize was given to a sheep belonging to Mr. 
G. Wallis, of Old Shifford, which displayed a great deal of fine 
breeding in a compact, shapely frame. An honour of some kind 
was then bestowed on each of the other nine which made up the 
dozen, and no less than six of them were highly commended. 
Three of the latter belonged to Mr. Treadwell — to one of whom 
was accorded Reserve — another was from the flock of Mr. 
H. Barnett, and the other two were exhibited by Mr. A. F. Milton 
Druce and Mr. G. Wallis. The latter gentleman had no less 
than nine shearlings in this very good class. 
Every animal in the next collection was of merit, and although 
the older rams were comparatively few, their high superiority 
made up for this, and thoroughly redeemed the character of the 
class in general estimation ; Mr. A. F. M. Druce received first 
and third prizes, and a sheep of Mr. G. Wallis was put second. 
I The type of the latter was more after the style of the Cotswold 
than an Oxfordshire generally displays ; but Mr. Druce's first- 
prize ram was on rather short legs, with a compact, thick, deep 
frame, and his third had a grand table-back, with admirable 
character. There were six pens of ewes, the whole of which 
received honours ; so that it may be considered that the Judges 
estimated very highly all three classes, and nearly the w hole of the 
animals of the breed exhibited. Mr. Druce was victorious once 
more, although it was apparently a nice point which pen had 
most merit, his or the second-prize one belonging to Mr. J. 
Treadwell. Then again there seemed a very slight difference 
between Mr. Treadwell's third-prize ewes and those of Mr. A. 
Brassey, which received Reserve. 
Southdown sheep have gradually been acquiring greater size, 
VOL. XII. — S. S. 2 Q 
