IN SCOTLAND.

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file present breed lias been formed, seem to be altogetherunknown. The first improvement that has been noticed, iss aid to have been made about 1760, when the native breed,(perhaps at an earlier period, somewhat similar to the an-c ient race found in the Highlands), was crossed with tupsbrought from Lincolnshire *, and there have been later in-stances of improvement, by using tups that had a dash of theDishley or Leicester blood. The Cheviot breeders of thepresent day, have had recourse to no other means of impro-ving this breed, than careful selection among their own andthe neighbouring stocks ; and many of them have broughttheir flocks to a degree of perfection, which renders them notless adapted for their situation, than the Leicesters are forarable districts.

The Cheviot sheep are without horns; the head—bare andclean, with jaws of a good length: their face and legs are white;the countenance—open, and eyes—lively and prominent.The body is long, but the fore-quarters generally want depthin the breast, and breadth both there and on the chine,though, in these respects, great improvements have beenmade by the more skilful managers. The legs—small boned,and well covered with wool to the knee-joint or houghs. Thefleece—w'hite, soft, close and thick-set, and of a mediumlength of pile; pelts—thin ; and long bushy tails.

These are the general characters of the pure Cheviot breed,but many of them have grey or dun spots on their faces andl e g§, especially on the borders of the district, where they havecome in contact with their blackfaced neighbours. On thelower hills at the extremity of the Cheviot range, they havebeen frequently crossed with the Leicesters, and severalst ocks, originally Cheviot, have now a good deal of the formand fleece of the Leicesters. Of both of these crosses someaccount may be given at the end of this section.

To give some idea of the management of this breed, it willbo necessary to attend to the different sizes of farms, and

Roxburghshire Report, p. 152.