159 



Forty-two auction sales of shortliorns were held in. England, Scotland, 

 and Ireland in 1869, at which 1,585 head were sold at prices ranging 

 jfrom 3^ to 650 gTiineas. The average realized being £35 5.9. each, show- 

 ing but a slight variation from the average price obtained in 1868, when 

 1,423 were sold at an average of £35 7s. each. 



The highest prices ever known to have been realized in England for 

 shorthorns were obtained by Mr, Sheldon, of Geneva, New York, United 

 States, for six Duchess, sold to Messrs. Wallcott & Campbell, for the 

 sum of 1,100 guineas each. 



From statistical reports it appears that in 1868 there were in the 

 Australian colonies 3,915,000 cattle, and 47,600,000 sheep. This num- 

 ber as comi^ared with the number returned in 1867, shows the» enormous 

 increase of 4,000,000 of sheep in one year. The latest returns from the 

 Cape of Good Hope give 692,000 cattle and 9,836,000 sheep in that 

 colony. Comparing the number of sheep and the amount of wool ex- 

 ported in 1867, it shows in Australia an average weight of wool exported 

 of 3.75 pounds to each head of sheep, and at the Cape of Good Hope 

 3.05 pounds per head of sheep. 



