in a sharp point. The tail, about seven inches long, ends in a
tuft of stiff hairs. From this remarkable muffler-looking beard, the
French have given the species the name of _Mouflon a manchettes_. From
the primitive stock _eleven_ varieties have been reared in this country,
of the domesticated sheep, each supposed by their advocates to possess
some one or more special qualities. These eleven, embracing the Shetland
or Orkney; the Dun-woolled; Black-faced, or heath-bred; the Moorland, or
Devonshire; the Cheviot; the Horned, of Norfolk the Ryeland; South-Down;
the Merino; the Old Leicester, and the Teeswater, or New Leicester, have
of late years been epitomized; and, for all useful and practical
purposes, reduced to the following four orders:--

686. THE SOUTH-DOWN, the LEICESTER, the BLACK-FACED, and the CHEVIOT.

[Illustration: SOUTH-DOWN RAM.]

[Illustration: SOUTH-DOWN EWE.]

687. SOUTH-DOWNS.--It appears, as far as our investigation can trace the
fact, that from the very earliest epoch of agricultural history in
England, the breezy range of light chalky hills running through the
south-west and south of Sussex and Hampshire, and known as the
South-Downs, has been famous for a superior race of sheep; and we find
the Romans early established mills and a cloth-factory at Winchester,
where they may be said to terminate, which rose to such estimation, from
the fineness of the wool and texture of the cloth, that the produce was
kept as only worthy to clothe emperors. From this, it may be inferred
that sheep have always been indigenous to this hilly tract. Though
boasting so remote a reputation, it is comparatively within late years
that the improvement and present state of perfection of this breed has
been effected, the South-Down new ranking, for symmetry of shape,
constitution, and early maturity, with any stock in the kingdom. The
South-Down has no horns, is covered with a fine wool from two to three
inches long, has a small head, and legs and face of a grey colour. It
is, however, considered deficient in depth and breadth of chest. A
marked peculiarity of this breed is that its hind quarters stand higher
than the fore, the quarters weighing from fifteen to eighteen pounds.

[Illustration: LEICESTER RAM.]

[Illustration: LEICESTER EWE.]

688. THE LEICESTER.--It was not till the year 1755 that Mr. Robert
Bakewell directed his attention to the improvement of his stock of
sheep, and ultimately effected that change i