ABERDEEN-ANGUS CATTLE. 51 



(2) In the ancient horned domestic races of Scotland, 

 there seems to have been a decided^ tendency to variation in 

 the loss of horns. 



V. The Aberdeen-Angus of to-day is no 

 doubt the result of the amalgamation of two sorts 

 of polled cattle inhabiting the districts of Scot- 

 land, where, even now, the, breed abounds most 

 numerously. 



(1) The former of these were puny and thin in flesh, 

 pre-eminently the crofters' cow. 



(2) The latter were a larger variety, with better all-round 

 development, but could not stand roughing it so well as the 

 former. 



VI. Hugh Watson of Keillor, Meigle, For- 

 farshire, was the most noted of the early improvers 

 of Aberdeen Polls. W-& ^tr^n (j&.cM*~<r 



(1) Both his father and grandfather owned good herds 

 of the same kind of cattle, the latter as early as 1735. / 



(2) He established the Keillor herd in 1808, and prc\se- 

 cuted the work of breeding with much vigor and success until 

 1865, when it was dispersed. 



(3) He bred from those animals only which came nearest 

 to his ideal, and did not seem to care whether they were 

 closely related or not. 



(4) He was singularly successful in raising calves, fre- 

 quently suckling five on one cow. 



(5) Nearly 500 prizes were awarded him in leading 

 rings of England, Scotland and France. 



\ 



VII. After Hugh Watson, the most noted JU- 

 improver of Aberdeen Polls was William Me- V^'" 1 

 Combie of Tilly four, who was born in 1805 and died \ 

 in 1880. \ 



(1) His herd was founded in 1830 and dispersed in 1880. 



(2) His success in the showyard has few parallels in the 

 history of farm stock. 



(3) In 1878 he won highest honors in Paris, France, 

 competing against all breeds. 



rees. 

 . %***$ <- 



VIII. Early in tjie century Lord Panmure 

 tried to improve the Aberdeen Polls by means of a 

 Galloway cross, but the effort resulted in failure. 



