Southdown Sentence Examples
The long-legged hairy sheep, which stands a good deal taller than a Southdown, ranges, with a certain amount of local variation, from Lower Guinea to the Cape.
On the other hand, since the socalled peat-sheep of the prehistoric Swiss lake-dwellers appears to be represented by the existing Graubunden (Grisons) breed, which is woolly and coloured something like a Southdown, it may be argued that the former was probably also woolly, and hence that the survival of a hairy breed in a neighbouring part of Europe would be unlikely.
The shortwool breeds are the Oxford Down, Southdown, Shropshire, Hampshire Down, Suffolk, Ryeland, Dorset and Somerset Horn, Kerry Hill, Radnor and Clun Forest.
The Southdown, from the short close pastures upon the chalky soils of the South Downs in Sussex, was formerly known as the Sussex Down.
A pure-bred Southdown sheep has a small head, with a light brown or brownish grey (often mouse-coloured) face, fine bone, and a symmetrical, well-fleshed body.
The Shropshire is descended from the old native sheep of the Salopian hills, improved by the use of Southdown blood.
Though heavier in fleece and a bulkier animal, the Shropshire resembles an enlarged Southdown.
The Hampshire Down is another breed which owes much of its improved character to an infusion of Southdown blood.
Only a remnant of the former under the name of the Western sheep survives in a pure state, but their cross descendants are seen in the modern Hampshire Down, which originated by blending them with the Southdown.
The Suffolk is another Down, which took its origin about 1790 in the crossing of improved Southdown rams with ewes of the old black-face Horned Norfolk, a breed still represented by a limited number of animals.
AdvertisementThis is a hardy breed, in size somewhat exceeding the Southdown.