BREED OF CATTLE. 307 



he bought ten of the nicest heifers and the best bull he could 

 procure at the Trinity Muir, Brechin. This was in the year 

 1808, when the improvement may be said to have commenced. 

 Afterwards the Keillor motto seems to have been — " Put the best 

 to the best, regardless of affinity or blood." The herd is still 

 well represented by that of Mr Ferguson, Kinnochtry, who has 

 some very superior animals. 



Improvers of the breed were, however, at work almost, if not 

 quite, as early as Mr Watson, and therefore to them belongs no 

 inconsiderable share of merit in bringing the doddies to perfec- 

 tion. The principal of them were : — Messrs Mustard of Leuch- 

 land and Fithie ; late Lord Panmure ; late Mr Thomas Collier, 

 Hatton ; Sir James Carnegie ; Earl of Southesk ; Mr Fullarton, 

 Ardestie ; Mr Scott, Balwyllo ; Mr Ferguson, Kinnochtry ; 

 Mr Kuxton, Farnell ; Mr Lyall, Arrat ; Mr Whyte, Spott ; Mr 

 Goodlet, Bolshan ; and last, but not least, the late Mr Bowie, 

 father of the present Mr Bowie, Mains of Kelly. 



For many years there has been a mutual interchange of cattle 

 between the north and south districts, but Mr Bowie maintains 

 that, before the time of rinderpest, the migration of animals 

 northwards far exceeded those coming south. Mr Bowie himself 

 has sent about a score of bulls, independent of cows and heifers, 

 north within the past twenty-five years, four of them having 

 been Highland Society's first prize takers, while in turn he has 

 onlv had two bulls from the north fit for service. 



However, as already stated, a mutual interchange of stock 

 between Aberdeen and Angus has been going on for many years, 

 and the finest strains of the two counties having thus been 

 judiciously blended, birth has been given to a race of stock which 

 is difficult — for meat-producing and early -maturing principles — 

 to excel, and to which the appropriate title of polled Angus or 

 Aberdeen cattle has been given. 



JYotci on Foiled Herds. 



Before describing a few of the leading herds of polled cattle, 

 we may notice briefly that in Angus and jNIearns there are fewer 

 breeding stocks than there were a dozen years ago. Rinderpest 

 made serious liavoc in many a noble fold — as one owner 

 reniarke<l : " Tliey (the cattle) were smitten as if with a passing 

 breath." Still there are vet some fine lierds between the Pee 

 and the Spey, indeed, we believe that the black skins were never 

 more numerously or better re])resented in that qujn-ter than 

 tliey now are. In many other districts tlicy are gaining ground, 

 and su])]^lanting the native races. Within a very few yeai-s, how- 

 ever, death has removed sonu' most ardent lovers of the breel.' 

 Amongst these we may mention the names of Colonel Fraser of 

 Castle Fraser, Mr lioberl Walker, Portlethen ; ]\Ir George Brown, 



