PBEEACE. 



A period of twenty years having elapsed since the publication 

 of Mr. Dixon's " Saddle and Sirloin," and encouraged by the increased 

 popularity of the shorthorn breed of cattle, I have been tempted to 

 write a work devoted solely to the interests of the breed, in which 

 will be found a brief description of the herds in this country. Such 

 a volume it is trusted will prove of assistance to the exporter who 

 has become an extensive purchaser, not only of shorthorns, but of 

 all pure breeds, and also to the novice, unacquainted with the 

 intricacies of pedigree, as giving information where the description 

 of materials required by them are to be most easily found, especially 

 when read in connection with the Breeders' Directory, found at the 

 end of this volume. The latter, resulted from the suggestion of a 

 breeder, that if an index could be added, giving the page where 

 animals of the various tribes were mentioned, the general usefulness 

 of the volume would be increased. This proposal had several 

 objections, as there are a number of very good animals of no 

 recognized tribes, which would be difficult to classify, and many 

 breeders might possibly feel annoyed at having their best cattle 

 omitted inadvertantly, or otherwise. It would also have been too great 

 a repetition to state each animal's ancestry to make both the index and 

 contents work together, in addition to being pleasant reading for 

 those w r ho peruse it. A satisfactory index under these circumstances 

 being scarcely possible, hence arose the idea of a Breeder's Directory. 

 Lastly, as to the old established breeder, may I hope that this volume 

 will be read with interest, as showing the changes which have 

 occurred in the distribution of the tribes of Kirklevington 

 and Killer by fame, since the days of " Saddle and Sirloin." 



EOBT. W. ASHBUENEB. 



March, 1888. 



