TAIN TO INVERNESS. 81 



once more catch a view of the Moray Firth. Pure-bred 

 boars, Leicesters, and shorthorns have all been great 

 points with Major Wardlaw ; and the poultry made 

 a far braver show than any we had seen in Scotland 

 so far. Florist by Hiawatha was the Major's bull 

 in '62 ; and since he was sold to Mr. Tew, the roan 

 Koyal Towneley has reigned in his stead. The 

 former, wbo is the sire of Forth, took the first prize 

 both at Inverness and Dingwall ; and the latter has 

 never been beaten in the district, and has won the 

 Highland Society's local medal. 



Few sheep, so to speak, are bred in the Black Isle, 

 which boasts of such equality of temperature from its 

 position that, according to the old native belief (which 

 is overthrown annually), no snow will lie on it. The 

 Middletons of Davidstown are the largest sheep- 

 feeders in the Isle. They do not lamb any ewes, but 

 buy half : bred hoggs at home or in Caithness or the 

 south, and either sell them oif turnips that year or as 

 dinmonts. Others breed from cast Cheviots, and half- 

 bred ewes as well ; but their general practice is to buy 

 and graze half-bred lambs, and despatch them by the 

 Edinburgh steamer from Cromarty when the turnips 

 are ended, or at least by July. The Isle has pretty 

 good grass, and better turnips ; and although oats 

 form at least three-fourths of its white crop, the 

 home supply has to be helped out by importation. 

 Beasts are not bred to any great extent, and these 

 are nearly all shorthorn crosses. The Muir of Ord 

 is the great fat and store exchange. Its principal 



