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From Infe by AM Gauci

"ESSICA (4179) at 3 YEARS OLD.

Was one of pair. That took Special Prize, as Fest Pair of Heifers at Keith & Cup Lor Same at Speyside 1881. The Property of, Sir George Macpherson Grant Bart of Ballindalloch.

All the existing female specimens of the Erica family are descended from either of four calves, as follows:

ERICA 843.

Erica 2nd, 1284, c. 1865, by Chieftain 318.

Eisa 977, c. 1867, Enchantress 981, c. 1869, Ella 1205, c. 1870, by Trojan 402. by Trojan 402. by Kildonan 405.

As previously explained, Erica 3rd, out of Erica 2nd 1284, and Ella 1205, were sold, the former to Mr Duff, Hillochhead, and the latter to Mr Macgregor, Garline. Eisa and Enchantress were retained in the herd, and the family, as bred without interruption at Ballindalloch, accordingly traces from these two daughters of Erica, got by the admirably-bred Queen bull Trojan 402. The Erica sires that have been used in the Ballindalloch herd wereElchies 563, out of Eisa; Elcho 595, out of Erica; Editor 1460, out of Edith 2973; and Young Viscount 736. The last named is at present the stock bull, being assisted by Justice 1462, a son of Elcho 595. Very few female Ericas have been parted with from Ballindalloch since. the family acquired its reputation, and it is thus difficult to indicate with precision the market value of the tribe. Young Viscount fetched 225 guineas in public competition, and a female Erica was sold publicly in 1877 for over 100 guineas. We have heard of several female specimens of the tribe having been sold privately at considerably over 100 guineas, and Sir George Macpherson Grant has lately had submitted to him an offer of 500 guineas for the first female Erica he can spare from his herd. The Ericas show striking uniformity of type, and display undoubted indications of high breeding. They are deep, broad, compact, low - set cattle, with short fine legs, excellent ribs and loins, beautiful quality, graceful head, and very rich cover of flesh.

Princesses, Baronesses, Emilys, and Favourites.

These four valuable and handsome families, cultivated

by Mr Thomas Ferguson, Kinnochtry, are the most closelybred of polled cattle. They are descended from the Keillor cows Old Grannie 1 and Favourite 2, and, as we have already stated, there can be no doubt that Mr Hugh Watson practised in-breeding to a large extent, although, owing to the inexact manner in which the Keillor herd records were kept, it is difficult to give precise particulars. In 1839 Mr Ferguson purchased from Mr Watson, Young Favourite 61, out of Old Grannie 1, the foundress of the Princess and Baroness families, and Edinburgh 64, also out of Old Grannie 1, the foundress the Emily family. Shortly afterwards he acquired Favourite 2, from which the Kinnochtry Favourite family is derived. The following exhibits the line of descent of the Princess, Baroness, and Emily families:

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The Favourite family traces directly from Favourite 2. Not only were the cattle at Keillor bred closely, but the same system has been continued by Mr Ferguson, sires having as a rule been obtained from Mr Watson, or bred from the Keillor stock at Kinnochtry. It will be unnecessary here to enter into a detailed examination of the

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pedigrees of the Kinnochtry families, as that has been
done with some minuteness in the notice of the herd.

In the pedigree of Mr Ferguson's cow Eliza of Kinnochtry 912, from whom his Baroness family is descended, we have an excellent example of the concentrated breeding of the purest of his cattle, all of which are noted for handsome proportions, length of frame, wealth of flesh, and vigour of constitution. The pedigree analysis is as follows:

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Miss Watson, Jilt, and Ruth Families.

The late Mr M'Combie of Tillyfour purchased at the Keillor sale in 1860 the cow Beauty of Tillyfour 2nd 1180, and her heifer calf Miss Watson 987, and from these animals three valuable families descend. The following table shows the strains established by Beauty 2nd:

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