316 FIELD AND FERN. 



was of the same opinion on these two points. The 

 beginning of the stud dates from Clyde, who was 

 purchased from Mr. Samuel Clark of Kilbarchan, 

 and afterwards sold to the Speaker. He won a first 

 prize when the Highland Society met at Glasgow in 

 '50, and his beautiful head and three white legs were 

 known in many a Scottish show-yard. His son 

 Forth was third at Battersea and first at the Four 

 Counties, and Baronet and eight mares and fillies 

 have all taken first National prizes. Snip, Sally, 

 Nancy, and Peggy were first-prize mares at Carlisle, 

 Edinburgh, Battersea, and Stirling. Old Bet has 

 never been in the Highland Society lists; but she has 

 not shirked good company at Glasgow, Hamilton, 

 and elsewhere, and has been decorated on sixteen 

 occasions. 



It is perhaps the prettiest farm sight in Scotland to 

 walk down the Keir stable, when the horses are in from 

 work and all done up on an autumn evening, and a 

 robin redbreast twittering on one of the stalls lent 

 it extra zest. Douglas's Snip, the winner of three 

 Nationals in her day, stood at the end ; but although 

 the fine fore-arm and leg are still there, a decade of 

 years have told their tale, since Ralph led her out to 

 victory at Carlisle. She was the only one which had 

 crossed over the Irish Channel in the legitimate pur- 

 suit of Ribbonism ; but every one of the twelve, save a 

 big half-bred black of the dray order, was a winner. 

 Punch, with that astounding rib, is old Snip's 

 partner. He was bought by Mr. Young at Banff, 



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