ABERDEEN TO STONEHAVEN. 187 



yards with seven firsts and a second. Marquis (212) 

 was bred by Mr. Hugh Watson of Keillor, and was 

 got by his Old Jock, who figures as (1) of the 336 

 bulls in Mr. Ravenscroft's very valuable Polled Herd 

 Book. It was with Marquis and Raglan (208) by 

 Young Andrew that " Portlethen" stood second and 

 third to M'Combie's Hanton at Paris ; and he valued 

 the blood of Raglan so highly, in consequence of 

 his dam Young Miss Alexander (who died from in- 

 flammation of the brain through the scratch of a 

 thorn) having only left one other calf behind, that he 

 declined the Imperial offer of 230 an d priced him 

 at four hundred. When the bull came back he re- 

 warded his owner for such confidence with Wallace 

 (211) and the Duke of Wellington (219), the best bull 

 one year ia the yard at Aberdeen, and from an Ar- 

 destie cow. 



Mr. Walker does not go very much into sheep, 

 but keeps about fifty Leicester ewes, principally of 

 English blood, round his house, and sells tups and 

 draft ewes. He is also a great Dorking fancier, and 

 had his breed originally from Gordon Castle, where 

 great attention was once paid to it. With the excep- 

 tion of getting a few hens from Ury, and, a first-prize 

 cock and hen from Birmingham, he has kept almost 

 entirely to the mealy light hackle of the old Gordon 

 sort. No pains have been spared, but he has had 

 his crosses in the pursuit. Of an expensive setting 

 from Staffordshire only six came out, and of these 

 the foxes, one of which Mr. Fortescue brought to 



