VARIOUS BREEDS OF SHEEP IN GREAT BRITAIN. G63 
attached to a particular spot or locality, and rarely are met 
with straying far away from it. 
Intermediate . 
Dorset . — This is a breed peculiar to a certain district in 
the south of England, where it has been preserved for a very 
long period. Both male and female possess horns ; they 
have white legs and faces, the face long and broad with a tuft 
of wool on the forehead ; the nose and lips black ; shoulders 
low, with straight back and good brisket ; the loins broad 
and deep ; legs somewhat long, but with small bone. A 
breed exists in Somersetshire having the general character of 
the Dorset, with the exception of the coloured noses and 
lips; these are of a pinkish hue , and the breed is known as the 
“ Pink-nosed Somersets.” The Dorsets possess, as their 
frame would indicate, the physical characters of a hardy, 
useful breed; they are very quiet and docile, and readily 
adapt themselves to the different modes of management to 
which they are subjected. They thrive well on moderate 
keep, arrive at maturity early, and will feed on turnips up to 
80 to 100 lb. weight at two years old. The peculiar charac- 
teristic of the breed, which indeed constitutes its principal 
value, is the fecundity of the females, and their readiness to 
receive the male at an early season. If well kept and in 
good condition, this takes place as early as April ; thus the 
3 r eaning commences in September, and the lambs are fit for 
the market by Christmas, at which time of the year they 
fetch a very high price. Some additional care and feeding 
are of course required. The ewes, however, are excellent 
mothers, giving a large supply of nutritious milk, while at 
the same time they are again ready to take the ram and 
become impregnated while rearing their early offspring. The 
fleece is close and heavy, with a staple of moderate length; 
the average weight may be taken at 6 lb. 
The practice of crossing with the South Down is becoming 
very general, especially when only lambs are desired ; these 
are shorn and produce from 1 \ to 2 lb. of wool each, which 
fetches always a higher price than the “teg” wool. For 
store sheep it is a valuable cross, the produce feeds better, 
grows to a good size, and yields a finer and heavier fleece 
than the pure Dorset. 
Cheviots . — The long line of hills, the Cheviots, traversing 
the border counties of England and Scotland, have given 
their name to a breed of sheep which seem to occupy an 
intermediate position between the black-faced breed of the 
