64 IMPROVEMENT OF THE BREED. 



the premiums won by animals belonging to the herd prior 

 to 1875. Not content with a large share of Scotch and 

 English honours, he several times entered international 

 contests in France, and on all occasions returned with 

 new laurels and fresh fame for his favourite blacks. Prob- 

 ably the crowning victory of his life was achieved at 

 the great International Exhibition held at Paris in 1878. 

 On that occasion, in addition to several leading "class" 

 honours, he carried off, with a group of beautiful young 

 polled cattle, all bred at Tillyfour, not only the 100 

 prize for the best group of cattle bred by the exhibitor in 

 the Division foreign to France, but also the 100 prize 

 "for the best group of beef-producing animals bred by 

 the exhibitor." In fat stock as well as breeding shows, 

 Mr M'Conibie has often proved invincible ; and altogether, 

 it may safely enough be said that the high reputation 

 which the breed has deservedly gained beyond the bounds 

 of the British empire has to a very large extent been 

 fostered by the remarkable show-yard achievements of the 

 Tillyfour herd. 



The show-yard career of " Black Prince," one of Mr 

 M'Combie's many fine polled oxen, deserves special men- 

 tion. This animal, bred at Tillyfour, was exhibited at 

 the Birmingham and Smithfield Fat Stock Shows in- 1867, 

 when four years old, and at both shows made almost a 

 clean sweep of the special honours. At Birmingham he 

 won the 15 and silver medal as the best in his class; 

 the Earl of Powis's silver cup, value 25, for the best 

 steer or ox bred and fed by the exhibitor; two special 

 prizes for the best Scot ; the Hotel and Inn keepers' thirty- 

 guinea cup for the best animal in all the cattle classes ; 

 and the gold medal or 20 for the best steer or ox in the 

 show. At Smithfield he won the first prize and silver 

 medal as the best in his class, and the 40 silver cup for 

 the best steer or ox in the show, along with the 20 gold 

 medal to his breeder. From Birmingham the ox was, by 



