and besides gaining the first prize in the aged class at the Highland Society's show, carried off the challenge cup at the Royal Northern at Aberdeen. His half-brothers Fox Maule 2nd 370 and Fox Maule 3rd 372 were, although not so famous in the show-yard, more useful in the herd. The bulls Sir James 369 and Derby 377, bred at Tillyfour, and out of the Keillor cow Beauty of Tillyfour 2nd 1180, were also used; and Palmerston 374, a first-prize Highland Society bull, bred in the herd, got a great many superior stock.

We have already indicated that a large share of showyard honours have fallen to the herd. Mr Walker first appeared as an exhibitor at the Highland Society's meeting in 1834, when he won a second prize for cows. At the Highland Society's show at Aberdeen in 1858 much attention was attracted by the fine lot of ten cows exhibited from the Portlethen herd, Mr Walker receiving a silver medal for this unique display.

Periodical sales have been held for many years, and specimens of the herd were thus distributed over the country. The private registers of the stock have been most carefully and accurately kept, the late Mr Walker having perceived the value of pedigree long before many polled breeders gave much attention to preserving records of the breeding of their herds.

Portmore.

Mr Mackenzie of Portmore, Eddleston, started a herd of polled cattle with the object of exemplifying to his tenants and neighbours, that for the more elevated districts of the south of Scotland they are more profitable to farmers than Shorthorns, both in the pure breed and also for crossing. As yet Mr Mackenzie's is the only herd of polled cattle in the south of Scotland. Mr Mackenzie commenced by purchasing in the end of 1880 two cows, bred by Mr

T. L. Melville Cartwright at Melville, viz., Lavender 4th 4247 and Rosamond 3853. In 1881 he purchased two cows from Lord Airlie at Cortachy, viz., Favourite 7th 3651 and Francesca 3274; also three cows from Mr James. Bruce, Collithie, viz., Julia of Collithie 3671, Ida 9th 3670, and Vine of Collithie 4507. This year he has purchased two from Mr James Carnegie, Aytoun Hall, viz., Fortune of Aytoun 4632, of the Mina family, from Melville, and Necklace of Aytoun 4633, of the Bracelet family, also from Melville. The bull in. service is Josephus 1684, out of the Jilt cow, Jewess 1916, and after Elcho 595, bred by Sir George Macpherson Grant of Ballindalloch; and Mr Mackenzie has also lately acquired from Mr Carnegie a young bull, Black Peter, by St Clair 1160, out of Mina 6th 3489. Last year there were five bulls calved and two heifers from the seven cows Mr Mackenzie then possessed. He sold the five bulls at Messrs Macdonald & Fraser's sale at Perth in the spring of this year, at an average of 31 guineas. At the date of writing us (April 1, 1882), Mr Mackenzie had got five calves in his herd, so that the entire stock, of both sexes, numbered 16.

Powrie.

Mr Thomas Smith has at no little trouble and expense collected a large and fine herd at Powrie, Dundee. His first purchase was at Lord Airlie's sale in 1876, and since that time he has acquired some excellent animals at Easter Tulloch, Tillyfour, Gavenwood, Aboyne, Easter Skene, Portlethen, etc. At the Tillyfour sale in 1878, Matilda 1175, of the Zara family, dam of the prize heifer Pride of Alford 1778, was secured for 80 guineas; Rosa Bonheur 2565, of the Rothiemay Victoria family, for 60 guineas; Ruby 2nd of Easter Tulloch 3520, of the Kinnaird Rebecca family, for 42 guineas; and Mayflower 2nd 3521, for 36 guineas. The last named, bred at Easter Tulloch, was dam

of Lord Tweedmouth's Witch of Endor 3528, bought for 155 guineas. Mr Smith also purchased from Mr Scott, Easter Tulloch, other specimens of the Mayflower family as well as members of the Levity, Duchess, Fanny, etc., strains, full of good blood. From the Easter Skene herd came Naomi 3730, by Bachelor 690, a very sweet cow. British Queen, of the Charmer branch of the Queen tribe, was obtained at the Tillyfour dispersion; while at Aboyne in 1881, 100 guineas were paid for that magnificent breeding cow Madge of Portlethen 1217. Among the stock sires used have been Norman 1257, bred at Cortachy, after Juryman 404 and Monarch 1182, the celebrated son of Madge 1217. Several animals have been sold at high prices to go to America.

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CHAPTER XIV.

EXISTING SCOTCH HERDS-CONCLUDED.

ROTHIEMAY-The late Major Tayler and the breed-A famous polled bull at Rothiemay about 1822 or 1823-Present herd dates from 1846The Georgina, Miss Morrison, and Victoria families-Sires used-Kate of Glenbarry 2nd 1482-High prices at public sales-SKENE-SKILLYMARNO-SPOTT-Descended from old Braedownie herd-STROCHERIE -A herd of 200 years' standing-Matildas and Ruths-SOUTH YTHSIE-THE THORN-Traces mainly to the Ashmore stock-Flower of Strathmore 479, and her son President 4th 368-THOMASTOWN— WATERSIDE OF FORBES-Mr Wilken selects 200 polled breeding cattle for exportation-Prides, Ericas, Fannys, Sybils, and DaisysPride of Aberdeen 7th 1777, dam of Mr Auld's 270 guinea cow-Large sales to foreign purchasers-WELLHOUSE-Mr Anderson's herd started in the end of last century-Ruth of Tillyfour 1169-WESTER FOWLIS -WESTSIDE OF BRUX-OTHER HERDS.

Rothiemay.

The late Major Tayler, father of Mr Tayler of Glenbarry, was in the habit of breeding animals, mostly polled and either black or brindled, ever since Mr Tayler can recollect, and he particularly remembers that his father had at Rothiemay, about 1822 or 1823, a well-known brindled. polled bull, then considered a very fine animal. The foundation of the present Rothiemay herd may be said to have been laid by the purchase by Major Tayler of two black polled cows named Old Lady Jean and Miss Mor

rison, from the late General Hay of Rannes, and a bull named Fintray 125, from the late Mr James Walker, Wester Fintray, about the year 1846. The cows were very large and strong. Their descendants have been regularly retained and bred from, and in the 'Herd Book' the pedigrees of the strains established by these fine animals trace from Old Lady Jean 187, and Miss Morrison 833. Another cow early added to the herd was Victoria of Glenbarry 534, calved in 1855, after Black Jock of Mulben 104. She was acquired from her breeder, Mr Paterson, Mulben. From Old Lady Jean the Rothiemay Georgina tribe has sprung, through Georgina of Rothiemay 532, by Fintray 125, calved in 1852; from Miss Morrison the Rothiemay family of that name descends, and a third family comes from the Mulben cow Victoria of Glenbarry 534. This then was the material on which Mr Tayler's fine herd has been reared. For many years no females were added besides those bred in it, and much of its success is due to the careful selection of sires. At Mr M'Combie's sale at Tillyfour in 1857, the bull Napoleon 257 was bought for 40 guineas. Napoleon was out of Bloomer 201, a daughter of Queen Mother 348, and after Hanton 228. He was described by Mr M'Combie in the sale catalogue as being "got by the best bull, and out of the best cow in the world in the opinion of the exposer." Napoleon was also individually a first-class animal; he won the second prize as a two-year-old at the Aberdeen show of the Highland Society in 1858, and was used in the herd for a considerable time. The next sire used was Damascus 495, bought when a calf at the Earl of Southesk's sale in 1861. After the Queen bull Windsor 221, he was out of Deodora 1232, of the Kinnaird Dora family. Damascus was a splendid bull, and left excellent stock. By these two bulls some of the best blood in the country was infused into the herd. Napoleon was very strong in the Tillyfour Queen blood, which was also continued by the sire of Damascus; while