EXISTING HERDS 185 



various. James Biggar of Chapelton, Dalbeattie, tells of the 

 existence of a family of females that showed the white belt 

 through successive generations for fifty years, in spite of the 

 fact that the sires were nearly all black. Percy O. Laidlaw 

 of Stonecroft, Fourstones-on-Tyne, R.S.O., Northumberland, 

 has bred black calves from white-middled parents, and many 

 sheeted calves from a sheeted bull on black cows many 

 properly belted, but one calf perfectly marked on one side 

 only. A white-belted cross heifer from an Irish high-grade 

 Shorthorn, produced by a belted bull a calf which was all 

 white, except black on the head and neck, on one foreleg, 

 on the other foreleg down to the knee, round the tail, 

 head, and down both quarters to the hock. Crosses 

 between a white-middled cow and white Shorthorn bull are 

 usually beautiful white-middled blue-greys. Irish or grade 

 Shorthorn cows breeding to a belted bull, usually throw calves 

 black in place of red, sometimes belted. It is not uncommon 

 for a white-middled calf to appear in a herd which has been 

 breeding black for several generations. 



Among the remaining herds in Galloway, at one time 

 prevalent in the Cree Valley, that belonging to George G. B. 

 Sproat, Boreland of Anwoth, Gatehouse of Fleet, presents 

 many features of interest. The foundation of it was got by his 

 father in Glenkens, early in last century. A belted bull was 

 used a few years ago which came from Bardon Mill to restore 

 the belt to its former dimensions, as the belts had shrunk and 

 become irregular through the repeated use of black bulls. A 

 combination of the belted and " brocket " conditions has been 

 secured in the same animal on two occasions, one being a 

 belted brocket-faced bull calf born in 1904, and now being 

 reared. In 1905 a dun Galloway bull was used to secure dun 

 belties. A two-year-old bull of conspicuous merit from 

 Sproat's herd scaled 15 cwts. in store order. The Galloway 

 variety of the breed are "exceptionally thick, blocky, nice- 

 haired animals, and so hardy that they can winter and calve 

 outside and ail nothing." 



Other Scotch breeders not already mentioned who own a 

 few pure-bred animals are : James Brown, Knockbrex, 

 Borgue, N.B. ; Alexander Gardiner, Killeron, Gatehouse ; 

 John Gibson, Barncailzie, Castle Douglas ; R. Graham, 

 Auchengassel, Twynholm, R.S.O. ; Wm. Hyslop, Knockycoid, 



