This section is from the book "The London Art Of Cookery and Domestic Housekeepers' Complete Assistant", by John Farley. Also available from Amazon: The London Art of Cookery.
The head of a lamb is good, if the eyes are bright and plump; but if they are sunk and wrinkled, it is stale. If the vein in the neck of the fore-quarter appear of a fine blue, it is fresh ; but if it be green or yellow, you may be sure it is. stale. In the hind quarter, if there be a faint disagreeable smell near the kidney, or if the knuckle is very limber, it is not good.
Lamb is generally cut in quarters - if divided into joints, observe the same rules as those for mutton.
 
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