662 VARIOUS BREEDS OF SHEEP IN GREAT BRITAIN. 
still followed in the hill districts ; this of course lessens the 
value of the wool produce. 
Bamjoton . — This breed takes its name from Bampton, a 
village in Devonshire, in the vicinity of which it has existed 
for some centuries past. Like most of the old indigenous 
breeds of the country it has gradually been displaced by the 
improved breeds, and now it is very difficult to find the pure 
Bampton unmixed with other blood ; a few only remaining 
in Devonshire and West Somerset. They are usually met 
with crossed with the Leicester breed, and very much resem- 
bling them in shape, though somewhat larger in size and 
hardly so fine in general characters. They are without 
horns and with white clean faces and legs ; they are hardy, 
but require good pasture. At two years old, if well kept, 
they average 120 to 150lb. each. The meat is juicy, but 
like that of all large sheep, inferior in quality to the smaller 
breeds. The wool produce is good ; the fleece, averaging 
7lb., is rather coarse in quality. They are now so inter- 
mixed with Leicester blood as to partake more of the cha- 
racter of that breed than of the old stock. Crosses with 
Lincolnshire and with the Exmoor breed are also met 
with. 
Herdwicks . — This breed is confined to the mountain dis- 
tricts of Cumberland and Westmoreland, where it enjoys the 
reputation of a hardy and profitable animal, well adapted for 
the rough and bleak country in which it is kept. The sheep 
are without horns, and have generally speckled or mottled 
faces and legs, which become gradually greyish or white as 
the age of the animal increases. The fleece weighs about 
3 to 4 lb. The wool is coarse and open. On the shoulders 
and neck it becomes matted and kempy, and is only fit for 
the common description of goods, as rugs, coarse woollens, 
&c. When left on the hill-pasturage the wethers generally 
remain until they are four or five years old before they are 
fit for the butcher ; they then average from 40 to 50lb. each. 
The quality of the meat is first-rate, and always commands a 
good price. The ewes are good mothers and produce gene- 
rally fine strong lambs. They display great sagacity on the 
approach of snow-storms in choosing situations free from the 
danger of deep drifts. When the storm reaches them they 
seek the most exposed part of the mountain, which by the 
violence of the wind is usually swept clear of snow, and here 
they remain herded together until the storm has passed, 
taking care to keep up a continual movement, and thus to 
trample down the snow as it falls. They possess also the 
peculiar feature for a mountain breed, that they remain 
