Identifier: sheepbreedsmanag00wrig (find matches)
Title: Sheep, breeds and management
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Wrightson, John
Subjects: Sheep
Publisher: London, Vinton
Contributing Library: UMass Amherst Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Library Consortium Member Libraries

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e rowes.Ma bonnie dearie. The Black-Faced Sheep. Although best known in connection with the Highlands ofScotland, it is doubtful whether this race is of English orScotch origin. We know with some certainty that they firstobtained a footing in Perthshire and Dumbarton about 120years ago, and it seems probable that they travelled north-wards from Yorkshire or Northumberland across the border,and then gradually displaced an older white breed celebratedfor the fineness of its w^ool. David Low says :— This breed may be supposed to havefound its way into Scotland by the mountains of the North ofEngland. Youatt says that it is a common belief in Scot-land (1837) that the Black-faced sheep are of foreign origin.There are many traditions as to the advent of the breed.The Spanish Armada has had the credit of bringing them.Dr. Walker is also quoted by Youatt as mentioning a tradi-tion that this breed was first planted on a farm in EttrickForest by one of the Scottish kings. The flock contained
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y.y^y,. ./y//,/ ,,,/,,;i,);,; iiiii;;!lllillliiil! THE BLACK-FACED SHEEP. 83 5,000 sheep, kept for the use of the Royal household, andfrom that stock the whole of the Black-faced sheep aredescended. This is, in some respects, a circumstantialaccount, but it lacks evidence of authenticity, as the name ofthe monarch and the authority for the tradition are wanting.Mr. David Archibald, in his valuable paper upon TheBlack-faced Breed of Sheep, contributed to the Highlandand Agricultural Societys Transactions (vol. xvi., 1884), indeedfixes this tradition as relating to James IV. of Scotland, andthis he does on the authority of Hogg, the Ettrick shepherd.Another hypothesis, which at one time was currently re-ceived,, was that the Black-faced sheep originated in a crossbetween goats and sheep. Many other views have beenexpressed of a contradictory character, and after carefullyreviewing them all Mr. Archibald has come to the conclusion that the origin of the breed is uncertain, and we must,th

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