32 FIELD AND FERN. 



than half-a-century ago, as well as pure Cheviots 

 from Roxburghshire, but they all dwindled away. 

 Then Mr. Heddle of Hoy, Mr. Fortescue and some 

 others began them again. Not a few came from Mr. 

 Gunn ; and for some years past the farmers have 

 paid 5 to 8 to Caithness breeders for Leicesters, 

 and generally go in for half-bred lambs from Cheviot 

 ewes of their own rearing. Mr. Learmont, of 

 Housby in Stronsey, is the only one who puts the 

 Leicester to half-bred ewes; he also uses half-bred 

 rams, to prevent the flock from getting too fine ; 

 and Mr. M'Kenzie, of Stove in Sandey, has both 

 Southdowns and Shrops. 



Cattle, store and fat, of all ages from yearlings to 

 threes, are exported for nine months of the year 

 to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, and Banffshire ; and yet 

 the home market is so well supplied, that when the 

 Channel Fleet called at Kirkwall 6,000 Ibs. were fur- 

 nished daily during its stay, and ten days' rations to 

 boot, " without deranging a single horn." Such a 

 thing as a pure Orkney bull is hardly to be found. 

 They were larger than the Shetland, generally black, 

 with a white stripe down a razor back, and drooping 

 hind quarters. Since the beginning of the century 

 there have been "West Highland bulls from Duuro- 

 bin, which suited the Orkney cows ; but after the first 

 cross the milk rather fell off. Devon bulls were 

 another introduction of Mr. Malcolm Laing's, and 

 the cross fed kindly, but lacked under hair, and 

 looked rather more critically at the heather than the 



