108 THE CATTLE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 



l)y offering, at intervals, portions of their herds. Some of these 

 made enormous averages. Pure specimens of bulls and heifers 

 V7ere seen to make, at public auctions, above 4000 guineas 

 each. All previous results, however, were eclipsed by the 

 memorable sale of Mr. Campbell's Duchess and Oxford cattle, 

 in 1873, at New York Mills, in America. Here eleven females 

 of the Duchess tribe averaged 4522Z. 14s. 2d., the highest price 

 being 40,600 dollars paid for 8th Duchess of G-eneva, which was 

 bought for Mr. E. Pavin Davis, of Grloucestershire. It, how- 

 ever, proved that the purchase was in excess of that gentleman's 

 instructions, and the cow was resold to an American breeder, 

 in whose possession she soon afterwards died. The Earl of 

 Bective, the Earl of Lathom, and Mr. Holford were the other 

 English buyers. Three Duchess bulls averaged 1638Z. 15s. ; 

 Second Duke of Oneida, a remarkably fine animal, making 

 12,000 dollars. With one exception the Oxfords were pur- 

 chased by Americans. Six females averaged 1087?. 10s., and 

 the bull calves 396Z. 16s. Sd. 



The excitement to which the American sale had lent " wings " 

 culminated in 1875. In that year two auctions of Shorthorns 

 were held, which (without equalling in individual cases the 

 prices at New York Mills Sale) exceeded it in sustained demand 

 throughout. The first was on the 25th August, when a selec- 

 tion from the Earl of Dunmore's herd was sold in Scotland: 

 thirty-nine animals realised 26,223Z. 15s., or an average of 

 672Z. 8s. ; the second sale, when the entire and large herd bred 

 by Mr. William Torr, at Aylesby, in Lincolnshire, was dispersed 

 upon his death, a week later. Here eighty-four animals of all 

 ages fetched the enormous total of 42,919Z. 16s., or an average 

 of 510Z. 19s. These figures must be looked at as highest water 

 mark; not only for this breed of cattle, but for cattle of any 

 variety. Nothing to compare with these sales occurred before, 

 or have been witnessed since. The entire returns from Short- 

 horns sold, by public sale, in the year 1875 showed that 

 2355 animals had made a total of 220,321Z. 13s., or 932. lis. Id. 

 per head. 



The preponderance of the breed at the meetings of the Eoyal 

 Agricultural Society of England was, for a time, remarkable. 

 The result of seven years, ending in 1862, was 702 Shorthorns 



