CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 195 



with tliein evidences of large milking- capacity. The Ayrsliires were not 

 conspicuous, either in numbers or in quality, and the honors in the dairy 

 classes were carried off by the short-horn cows. I may remark here that 

 the prevailing type of short-horn cow, as exhibited at the "Koyal," ap- 

 proaches much more nearly to that of the model dairy cow than does 

 the type usually' met with in our Anibrican show-yards. They are more 

 after the " wedge-shape" pattern— heavy in the hind quarters and ta- 

 pering toward the head — than is considered the highest model of form in 

 a beef-producing animal. 



Next to the '■'■ Royal," the most important agricultural show of Great 

 Britain is that of the Highland Society, held this year at Inverness. 

 The leading feature was, of course, cattle, and of these the (xalloways, 

 Highlanders, and Aberdeen-Angus took the lead. Many who had made 

 entries here, however, as at York, were deterred from bringing their 

 cattle on account of danger from the wide-spread infection of foot-and- 

 mouth disease. Among others there were many entries from Sir George 

 McPherson Grant's famous Ballindallocli herd of Aberdeen-Angus cat- 

 tle, but fear lest they might incur the dreaded infection finally led Sir 

 George to keep his favoiites at home, although several of his choicest 

 animals had been especially fitted for this show, and with every prospect 

 of carrying a large share of the honors l)ack with them to Castle Bal- 

 lindallocli. 



The short-horns were not numerous, but there were a few good ones ; 

 notably Goldfinder, a yearling bull bred by William Hand ley. Green- 

 head Milnthorpe, got by Sir Arthur Ingram (32400) out of Princess 

 Flora, by Alfred the Great (36121). This young fellow, a beautiful red 

 roan, exhibited by James Bruce, who is recognized as one of the best 

 feeders in all Scotland, was shown in the very pink of condition, and 

 is certainly the best young bull I have seen this year. He deservedly 

 won the highest honors in his class and also the gold medal as tlie best 

 shorthorn bull of any age in the show. Among the other short horns 

 there was nothing particularly noticeable ; and certainly any of the 

 American herds mentioned above would have had an easy victory over 

 the best of them in the show ring. I cannot help repeating here my 

 strong conviction that our best American short-horns are superior, as 

 a general thing, to the best I have seen here, either in the shows or at 

 home on the farms of the breeders. The best specimens of the breed I 

 have seen (witli the exception of the young bull above mentioned) were 

 on the i)astures of the farmers of Aberdeenshire — beautiful, smooth, 

 fine boned cattle — such as would delight the heart of a Smithfield 

 butcher. 



The West Highlanders were numerically stronger than any other breed 

 at Inverness, ami with the Scotch people they ap[)ear to be i)rime fa- 

 vorites. I fear, however, they are too slow in maturing, and too small 

 to be of value to American breeders. Hardiness they undoubtedly pos- 

 sess to an unusual degree, but if hardiness alone is what our Western 



