The various Breeds of Sheep in Great Britain. 
239 
again turned loose on tlie moors : the breed consequently has 
exhibited no improvement, either in carcase or in wool, for cen- 
turies past. Tlie slieep are generally polled ; sometimes they 
have small short horns, set wide at their base, more resembling 
those of a jroat than a sheep ; the tail is short and very broad, 
the body rather long, the legs short, with fine bone and strong 
broad hoofs ; the head narrow and well set on. A peculiarity of 
the breed is, that when their food becomes scarce they at once 
resort to the sea-coast, and, following the ebbing tide, seek their 
supplies from the seaweeds with which the shores abound. This 
gives to their flesli a peculiar flavour, which, combined with the 
absence of attention to breeding management, renders the meat 
of a very indifferent quality. Tiie fleece, which constitutes the 
chief value of the breed, is of various colours, white, black, gray, 
and brown. Like the covering of other animals exposed to 
extremes of climate, it consists both of wool and of hair — the one 
securing the natural heat of the animal, the other being more 
adapted as a protection against the rain and general humidity of 
the climate. Tliis hair, locally termed " scudda," grows through 
the wool, and in the winter forms the outer surface. As the 
season advances, the wool, the true fleece, becomes detac hed 
from the skin, and is then picked off by hand, the sheep being 
all driven up together for the operation, the hairy portion re- 
maining as a protection to the animal against the weather. The 
wool has peculiar characters which render it admirably suited 
for fine hosiery purposes, but, being deficient in felting pro- 
perties, it is not adapted for combing; about 1^ lb. is obtained 
from each animal. Within the last few years the increased com- 
munication between these islands and the mainland has led to 
the introduction of Cheviot and other sheep, which, by judicious 
crossing, must tend shortly to the improvement of the native 
breed. 
2nd Division. — On the General Character, Commercial 
Uses, &c., of British Wool. 
The wool clipped from each sheep is folded by the farmer 
into a bundle, which is called a fleece. 
These fleeces vary considerably in general character and value, 
according to the different breeds and other circumstances ; but, 
whatever may be the breed, they are generally divided into two 
classes : 1st, called hogs or tegs ; and 2nd, wethers or eives. 
Hogs or Tegs are the first fleeces shorn from the sheep 
which have previously not been shorn as lambs. The general 
peculiarities of these fleeces are that they are longer in staple 
than the wethers, and the ends of the staples are more pointed 
