Show SPLENDID SHEEP IN ENGLAND the finest of ml all are the dainty and pretty featured south downs down the naturalist who is not too proud to know the history of the domesticated animals which are now as native to the soil as any of the ancient wild races could name any district in which he found himself by a glance at the sheep upon the hills says the spectator not noi even the cattle exhibit such lucli marked differ differences enem as are to be found in the flocks which a century of careful selection has fitted to thrive best in the varied soils of england the big leicester sheep with long gray wool brool and white faces are as afferent different from the as a newfoundland from a white poodle in the Cots wolds will be found the original of the baa leaa lamb of the nursery these sheep are tall with white wool in locks and with tufts upon the head and forehead the lincolnshire Lincoln shire sheep are more like those of leicester but heavier in the fleece coarser and more fitted for life in th the P marshes they have perhaps the mos most t intelligent faces of any sheep but the refined south downs we noticed a lincoln ewe endeavoring to open a sack of cakes by putting her foot into the mouth and drawing out the contents as it lay on the ground in the next pen pan romney marsh has its own breed of sheep something like the lin co coans ins but of all the flocks of england the south downs must win the palm their short clipped and delicate wool is felted together like moss the hand band sinks into it with difficulty the form is beautiful and rounded and though apparently so finely built their weight is great the close yellow gray ar ay fleece fits over the head tike like a cap disclosing the face and nose covered with short gray hair not wool the fea features tures are extremely dainty and the movements of the mouth mouthy as the sheep nibbles its fragrant supper of trefoil and clover resemble those of some delicate foreign rodent their heads are far prettier than those of deer almost as refined as that of the gazelle these thes sheep undergo an elaborate toilet every morning clipping them is an art in which f few ew e excel x cel their coats are trimmed brushed and damped and pressed flat with a setting board and finally tinted for the day the Hamp shires black faced and roman nosed are also rouged gouged |