FOCHABERS TO STTTYTON. 125 



Mr. Rannie at the Highland Society's Show at Perth 

 in '61 ; and in the aged ram class at Kelso he sepa- 

 rated two of the crack Border breeders Purvis of 

 Burnfoot and Stark of Mellendean with a very 

 neat sheep, which struck us as very good in the 

 forequarter and round the heart, but small by the 

 side of its two rivals. In fact, we never saw three 

 prize sheep which differed so widely in their styles. 



Mr. Robert Walker's of Montbletton is another 

 county stronghold of the blacks. For a quarter of a 

 century he has bred this class of cattle, but did not 

 pay very strict attention to pedigrees until 1850. 

 He has about twenty breeding cows, and has carried 

 all save one of the medals given by the Banffshire 

 and Turriff District Association. Most of his best 

 stock are after The Earl (291), and Tarn O'Shanter by 

 Hanton (228). The former took a first prize for 

 him at the Highland Society's third Edinburgh 

 Show; and "Tarn," who was bred by Mr. M'Combie, 

 won the yearling prize at Perth, and eight in the dis- 

 trict as well. He has not long been slaughtered, 

 and his sons Sambo and Black Diamond, both of 

 them winners, have been used since. Sambo was- 

 sold to the Hon. Col. Pennant last January, to cross 

 Welsh cows, and Duke of Cornwall' by Tarn 

 O'Shanter from Mayflower (614) has been brought 

 forward. Mr. Walker's winnings have not been 

 confined to bulls, as his Mayflower, which was 

 transferred to Tillyfour for 60 gs. at the last Mont- 

 bletton sale, was first in her class in " Tarn's" year 



