COUNTIES OF ELGIN AND NAIKN. 105 



ancient "Doddies" and Buchan " Humlies," the native polled 

 cattle of the north-east of Scotland. Almost every large farmer 

 in Morayshire has at least got one specimen of the shorthorn 

 breed in his possession, and there is invariably a close and keen 

 competition at local shows. 



Polled Cattle. 



Black polled cattle are found to be well adapted for cold and 

 late climates, being hardier than any other breed excepting the 

 shaggy-coated Highlanders. The first eminent breeders of 

 Aberdeenshire cattle in Morayshire were — Messrs Brown, 

 Westertown ; Collie, Ardgay ; Paterson, Mulben ; and Sir 

 George Macpherson Grant, Bart., M.P., of Ballindalloch. The 

 first-named gentleman was a well-known judge of polled cattle, 

 and his animals, through careful breeding and judicious feed- 

 ing, stood invincible in large competitions. Mr Brown was 

 about the first to introduce the breed into this county. Mr 

 Paterson was also a successful breeder. He commenced to 

 breed in 18-46. A celebrated cow, " Mayflower," representing 

 his herd, carried the first prize at the Highland Society's show 

 at Perth in 1861. He had also a bull, " Prince of Wales," bred 

 by Mr Brown, which was first at Aberdeen and Stirling. " Mr 

 Collie (says ]Mr M'Combie) was one o£ the most dangerous men 

 to face in the showyard I have ever encountered." Mr Collie's 

 herd had a famous showyard career ; and the ox which gained 

 the Smithfield prize, exhibited by Mr M'Combie, Tillyfour, in 

 1864, was bred by him. These herds are now extinct, except 

 Sir George Macpherson Grant's, which is by far the oldest in 

 the north — as it is said to have been in existence as far back as 

 1820 — and it has never been more flourishing than at present. 



Ballindalloch Herd. — It appears that the history of the origin 

 of the Ballindalloch herd has been lost in a cloud of antiquity, 

 and no record by which it can be ascertained when the herd 

 was founded has been kept. In the year 1850 Sir John 

 Macpherson Grant, father of the present proprietor, purchased 

 two celebrated anitnals, viz., "Matchless," at £30, and "Victor 

 2nd" (47), at £20, at the Tillyfour sale of pure-bred cattle. 

 Although Sir John svas careful in his selections of stock, it was 

 not until 1861, when the herd came under the management of 

 its present owner, that its improvement received full attention. 

 Prom that year it has advanced steadily, until it has attained a 

 degree of perfection which most herds never reach. No better 

 proof of its vast improvement, since the herd first began to 

 engage the attention of the present baronet, can be had than 

 that allorded by the result of local exhil)itions. In 1S61 only 

 four first and two second prizes were gained by its represents- 



