PEETH TO KEIR. 319 



little about cattle in those days ; but we happened 

 to be at his stall when " Nestor" came up to handle 

 and deliver judgment on the roan. After winning 

 at the Highland Society that summer, he was seen 

 in public no more, and was swept down by pleura 

 along with two-and-twenty of his mates. He left a 

 few heifers behind him, and in the roup of the Salis- 

 bury year his Marble Cutter from a Blencow heifer 

 made 200 gs., and went to Australia shortly after- 

 wards at an advance. Sir Samuel would have come 

 for a season from Warlaby, but the pleura was too 

 recent to risk the " last slice of Charity ;" and Hia- 

 watha (14705), by Captain Balco (12546) from Play- 

 ful, who had been purchased from Mr. Douglas the 

 year before, took the vacant box. Previously to his 

 purchase, he had beaten Colonel Towneley's Fred 

 and Sparrow Hawk, Mr. Ambler's Museum, Sir 

 James the Rose, and a rare row of bull calves at " The 

 Yorkshire/' and in Mr. Stirling's hands he beat the 

 class of young bulls at Glasgow, when John o'Groat 

 headed the seniors, and Miss Nightingale was third 

 to Rose of Athelstane and Ringlet. The Keir bull-box 

 has never lacked a great prize-winner, and it is re- 

 markable that on the only three occasions that Mr. 

 Stirling's bulls, to wit, John o' Groat, Forth, and 

 Eleventh Royal Butterfly, have been across the 

 Border, they won a Royal first. 



The original steading has been gradually absorbed 

 into the pleasure-grounds, and the site is occupied 

 by a small cupola, and planted with Turkey oaks 



