318 EUROPEAN AGRICULTURE. 



of twenty-four pounds each, that is, from four hundred and 

 eighty to seven hundred and twenty pounds. An Ayrshire farm 

 er informed me that he had had cows weigh fifty-one stone, 

 or one thousand two hundred and twenty-four pounds, each. He 

 says, there are no better feeders, and that, when fatted, the beef 

 is as good as that of the West Highland cattle. 



(5.) The West Highland Cattle, or Kyloes. This is a small 

 breed of black cattle, bred in the remote Highlands, and on 

 the northern islands of Great Britain, and brought in immense 

 numbers to the south to be fed. They are short, hardy, thick 

 set, always in good condition, and exceedingly thrifty, when 

 brought from the short feed of the north into the rich pastures 

 and to the abundant mangers of the south. Their size is small. 

 but their weight very great in proportion, as they are extremely 

 compact and solid. Their meat is esteemed of the best 

 quality in the market, and commands, usually, a halfpenny a 

 pound more than any other. They are bought in, at times, 

 quite young, and kept until three years old, when they are sent to 

 market. They are thought, when well purchased, to pay a bet 

 ter profit than any other ; and on this account, as well as their 

 symmetrical shape, for, taking off the head, and neck, and the 

 legs, they would appear to form a perfect parallelogram, they are 

 universal favorites.* No advantage has come, in any way, from 

 crossing these cattle with any other breed. There is a small 

 kind of black cattle, without doubt allied to the West High 

 landers, which are brought to Smithfield market, and there vul 

 garly known as runts. They cannot properly be called a dis 

 tinct breed. They are extremely compact and heavy, and their 

 meat excellent. No beef animals in the market sell so well. 



(6.) The Aberdeenshire Polled Cattle, near relatives of the Gal 

 loway and the Angus cattle, if my memory serves me as to the 

 name, are likewise black in color, and admirable in appearance. 

 They, also, are deemed highly profitable stock both for thrift and 

 for the dairy ; and a herd of cows, I believe of the latter breed, 

 horned, entirely black, excepting their udders, exhibiting the 



* A just representation of one may be found at the beginning of rny Third 

 Report, vol. i. p. 189. 



