34 
THE SHEEP. 
THE OLD WILTSHIRE BREED. 
legs white, though in some cases speckled, long limbs, and lank bodies. This race has been supplanted by the Southdown, or so 
crossed with it as to have lost its original characters. The ancient sheep of the adjoining county of Berks were of two kinds. One 
had horns and the other was polled. Both were coarse slowly-fattening animals, tall and muscular, with an arched chaffron. Their 
wool was short, and fitted for felting. These breeds have been universally crossed with the Southdown, and may be said to be 
nearly extinct in the pure state. Besides, few sheep are now reared in the county of Berks, the farmers of which derive their 
Sheep for fattening from other districts. 
