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spring of 1881, a yearling bull and two heifers were sold to the Honourable J. J. Dowsett of Honolulu, Sandwich Islands. The bull was of the Baroness family, and the heifers were of the Mina family. In the spring of 1881, nine bulls and seven heifers were shipped to Mr Redfield. At the same time, three animals were shipped to Mr. J. J. Rodgers, Angus Farm, Knox County, Abingdon, Illinois. They were the cow Favourite 6th 3118, the heifer Baroness 8th 5039, and the bull Baron Balgersho 1696. In the spring of 1882, twelve yearling heifers and two bulls were sold to Mr Rodgers. The heifers were sold at very high prices, and chiefly represented the Princess, Baroness, and Favourite tribes.

Mr Ferguson has gained most of the prizes for polled cattle at the shows of the Stormont Union Agricultural Society since its establishment in 1854. During the time the Scottish Midland Agricultural Society was in existence, he also won nearly all the prizes offered by it. He has on various occasions gained prizes at other local shows and sales. Recently he has exhibited at the Highland Society's shows, and we have already indicated the prizes won by him for bulls at these. In 1878 he gained the first prize for yearling heifers with Princess 6th 3296. At Stirling in 1881 he was awarded the gold medal for the cow Princess of Kinnochtry 914, who was twenty-one years old when exhibited. In 1877 and 1881, when champion prizes were offered at the Stormont Union shows, they were won by Mr Ferguson, in 1877 with a heifer out of Mr Brown's Duchess of Westertown 927, and in 1881 with Princess 7th 3297.

Mains of Advie.

The Mains of Advie herd is worthy of special notice on several grounds. It has achieved distinction in the local show-yards; it is almost entirely descended from one cow;

it is characterized by great concentration of blood; and its history reflects credit on the Ballindalloch herd, from which it was derived, and on which it has been mainly built up. The herd was started by Mr Charles Grant about twenty years ago, at a time when it was doubted whether, for a farm like Mains of Advie, situated at a high altitude, without much shelter, and in a late, cold, and inclement district, any breed except the shaggy Highlanders could be reared with profit. Mr Grant's success in his enterprise undoubtedly stimulated the breeding of polled cattle in the district; and it is probable that to his efforts more than to any other circumstance may be ascribed the transformation that has occurred in the class of stock now found in the Grantown markets, which are resorted to for store cattle from many quarters of the north of Scotland. In 1862 Mr Grant purchased a polled cow from the herd of Sir George Macpherson Grant at Ballindalloch. Few people then paid much attention to pedigree, and Mr Grant asked for no information regarding the animal acquired by him, being quite satisfied that, coming from Ballindalloch, her breeding must be satisfactory, and that individually she was of more than ordinary merit. This cow was entered in vol. iv. of the 'Herd Book' as Old Rose of Advie 3104, calved 1859, bred by Sir George Macpherson Grant, sire Craigo 260, dam a pure polled cow. Craigo, we may recall, was after a bull bred at Balwyllo, and out of a cow bred at Keillor. When purchased, Old Rose was in calf to King Charles 236, bred at Kinnaird, a son of Druid 225 and Kathleen 339. The produce in 1862 was Rose of Advie 3105. In 1866 Rose 3105 was sent to Ballindalloch and mated with the famous bull Trojan 402, a half-brother on the dam's side to Pride of Aberdeen 581, being out of the Paris cow Charlotte 203, and after Black Prince of Tillyfour 366. From this union came Dandy of Advie 3106. Dandy is now fifteen years old, is still in the herd, and has bred some wonderfully good stock. She is

a massive cow, very thickly fleshed, well haired, and short legged. Nearly all her calves have been prizewinners, and to some of them we shall briefly allude. Before doing so, however, we may mention the more important sires used in the herd, and thus show how closely and ingeniously the herd has been bred.

The first sire used was Conqueror 1190, bred at Drumin. He was after Disraeli 401, and his dam was by Defiance 397 (got by Rob Roy Macgregor 267, the sire of Black Prince of Tillyfour, who, as already remarked, was the sire of Trojan), and out of Charlotte 203, Trojan's dam. Then followed Elcho 595, bred at Ballindalloch, out of Erica 843, and after Juryman 404, whose sire Bright 454 was a son of Black Prince of Tillyfour, and whose dam Jilt 973 was a daughter of Black Prince of Tillyfour. Elcho, who is renowned in the annals of the breed as a heifer getter, left more than sixty calves in the herd, and thoroughly stamped upon it the Ballindalloch characteristics. After serving at Advie for three years, he was sold back to his breeder Sir George Macpherson Grant, and subsequently went to the Glamis and Cortachy herds. The next sire used was none other than Elcho's sire Juryman 404, who had been for some time in Forfarshire. was bought at Lord Airlie's sale in 1876 for £60, and was used for one season in the herd. The bulls First Fruits 1325, of the Westertown Victoria family, and First Attempt 1324, of the Westertown Rose family, both bred at Altyre, were then introduced. They were both after the Sybil bull Senator 863, a son of Scotsman 474. Highland Chief 1590, after Judge 1150, a son of Jilt and Scotsman, and out of Miss Fanny 3111, by Juryman 404, was then used. Another son of Judge, Baronet, was the next sire, his dam being Maid of Aven 2995, who was after Elchies 563 (a son of Juryman 404 and Eisa 977), and out of Bertha 980, by Trojan. The present stock bull is Etonian 1658, after Elcho 595, and out of the Erica cow Eva 984, whose dam was Eisa

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977, by Trojan 402. The selection of sires thus presents some features of considerable interest. The concentration of Erica and Queen blood will be observed, and scarcely less noteworthy is the close relationship of the animals.

The success of the system of breeding adopted by Mr Charles Grant, and followed by his son Mr John Grant, who now manages the herd, has been unquestionable. Of Dandy's calves, Emily 3110 was a famous prizewinner at Elgin, Grantown, and Inverness. Mayflower 3108; Violet, sold to Lord Lovat; Edith, sold to Mr Hannay; Evelyn 4119, sold to Lord Strathmore; and Young Juryman, sold to Mr Reid, Baads, were also very superior. Other specially good representatives of the Rose family were Miss Emily, sold to Mr Whitfield, America; Florence 3587, a frequent prize-taker at Grantown, Elgin, and Dingwall; Duchess 3585; Mayflower 4th 4439; Maggie May; Daisy 3586; Blanche 3588, etc. There are also in the herd a few specimens of other strains, but the bulk is of the Rose family. Important sales have been made to Sir George Macpherson Grant, Lord Lovat, Mr Hannay Gavenwood; the late Earl of Strathmore, Mr Whitfield, Rougemont, Ontario; Mr Hine, Ohio, etc. The herd, as we have indicated, has figured prominently in the show-yards at Grantown, Inverness, Elgin, Keith, and Dingwall, and has frequently won prizes for groups—perhaps the best testimony to the merit of a breeding stock.

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CHAPTER XIII.

EXISTING SCOTCH HERDS-CONTINUed.

MAINS OF KELLY-Oldest existing pedigree herd-Founded in 1809 or 1810
-Mr Bowie's system of breeding—The Jenny, Martha, Lizzie, Ardestie,
Jennet, Guinea Pig, Victoria, and Wattie families-Celebrated bulls
bred at Mains of Kelly-Cupbearer 59, Hanton 228, Logie the Lairds,
Majors, Jim Crows, Victors, etc.-MELVILLE-Dandys, Prides, and
Mayflowers-METHLICK-The Mabel branch of the Pride family-
MINMORE-MONTBLETTON-Commenced in 1831-The late Mr Robert
Walker and the tenant of Wester Fintray-The Victoria, Charlotte,
Mayflower, and Isabella families-Sires used-Fame of the Mayflowers
-MONTCOFFER-MORLICH-The Windsor branch of the Queen tribe
-PITFOUR-Logie the Laird 3rd 862-PITGAIR-PORTLETHEN—
Established about 1818-The early animals in the herd-The Nackets
and Brown Mouths-Families now represented-The Mayflowers,
Miss Scotts, Lucys, Fannys, Nightingales, Livelys, Pansys, Julias,
Idas, Madges, etc.-Bulls used in the herd-PORTMORE-POWRIE-
Easter Tulloch Mayflowers-Madge of Portlethen 1217, and Monarch
1182.

Mains of Kelly.

THE oldest existing pedigree herd of polled cattle is that belonging to Mr Alexander Bowie, Mains of Kelly, Arbroath, and few have been more instumental in improving the breed. Mr Bowie gives us the following account of the foundation of his herd: "The herd was formed by my father in 1809 or 1810, by the purchase of the cow Boysack from Mr Henry Lindsay Carnegie of Kimblethmont, Arbroath. My father, when he came from Cockpen, near Dalkeith, at once took a liking to the blackskins, and

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