he
Scottish Border, and originating from the flock which George and
Matthew Culley in 1767 took from the Tees to the Tweed.

The Cotswolds have been on the Gloucestershire hills for ages, and
have long been famous for the length of their fleece, hardiness, and
breeding qualities.

The Lincoln is the result of the old native breed of the county
improved by Leicester blood. They have larger heads and denser and
heavier wool than the Leicesters, averaging 8 to 9 lb. to the fleece,
but have been known to yield 14 lb.

The Kentish or Romney Marsh have long existed in the district whence
they obtain their name, but are not much known away from that
locality.

The Devon Longwool is a result of the infusion of Leicester blood
among the old Bampton stock of Devonshire called Bampton Notts or
polled sheep.

The South Devons or South Hams are another local breed, and are a
result of the improvement of the South Hams Notts by the Leicester.

The Wensleydales are descendants of the old Teeswater breed, itself a
variety of the old Leicester and improved by the new Leicesters of
Culley.

2. Oxford Downs, a modern black-faced breed, now widely spread all
over the midland counties, are a mixture of Cotswolds with Hampshire
Downs and Southdowns, and originated at the beginning of Queen
Victoria's reign, but were not definitely so called till 1857. This
cross of two distinct varieties, the long and the short wool, has
approximated to the shortwool type.

The Southdown, formerly Sussex Down, an old breed bred for ages on
the chalky soils of the South Downs, is 'perhaps', says Youatt, 'the
most valuable breed in the kingdom.' It was to John Ellman of Glynde,
at the end of the eighteenth century, that they owe their present
perfection, and they have exercised as much influence among the
shortwools as the Leicesters among the longwools.

The Shropshire sheep is a descendant of the original Longmynd or old
Shropshire sheep, which began to be crossed by the Southdown at the
commencement of the nineteenth century.[753] They were recognized as a
distinct breed in 1853, and since then have become one of the most
valued breeds, combining the symmetry and quality of the Southdown
with the weight of the Cotswold and the fattening tendency of the
Leicester, with a hardier constitution.

The Hampshire Down is another instance of the widespread influence of
the Southdown, being the result of crossing that breed with the old
Wiltshire shee