The 'British Goat Society. 291 



1886-92. The Earl of Rosslyn (second time). 



1892-99. Sir Humphrey de Trafford, Bart. 



1899-1902. H. C. Stephens, Esq. 



1902-3. Sir Henry Isaacs. 



1903-5. The Baroness Burdett-Coutts. 



1905-8. The Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon. 



1908-9. Sir T. C. Dyke Acland, Bart. 



The Herd *BooK. and Trize 'Record. 



One of the first objects of the new society was the 

 establishment of the Herd Book and Prize Record. 

 The former was no easy matter, as goat fanciers had 

 never attempted to breed on the lines of purity, first 

 because at that period there were no pure breeds to 

 work upon, and secondly because when fancy points are 

 aimed at practical qualities are frequently lost sight of. 

 The only principle on which it was found possible to 

 construct a Herd Book was that of " like producing like," 

 or, in other words, the proved capability of an animal 

 possessing good qualities to reproduce the same in its 

 progeny. This capability could only be ascertained and 

 officially recognised when the goat itself and one or other 

 of its parents had won a prize. The basis of the Herd 

 Book therefore was the Prize Record, a register of goats 

 that had won prizes since the first show of any importance, 

 viz., that held at the Crystal Palace in 1875. The mere 

 fact of the goat itself winning would not qualify it for 

 entry, as it might be that the qualities which gained it 

 the award were a mere accident, or that the award itself 

 was due in great measure to lack of competition. It was 

 necessary that the qualities should be sufficiently fixed in 

 the blood to be capable of transmission. The following 

 were the conditions of entry drawn up and adopted in 

 1880, and they are still in force. 



u 2 



