THE CASTLE ERASER HERD. 167 



Keillor Favourite family. Jamie 367, a son of Eeform, 

 followed. At the time of the dispersion of the herd in 

 1870, the sire in use was Cup-Bearer of Ballindalloch 451, 

 bred by Sir George Macpherson Grant. He was a son of 

 the first Erica 843 and Trojan 402, who was by Black 

 Prince of Tillyfour 366, and out of Charlotte 203. Every 

 one of the bulls used at Castle Eraser were thus, it will be 

 seen, very well-bred, and were all nearly related. 



The show-yard reputation of the herd collected a large 

 company at its dispersion in 1870. The sale was one of 

 considerable importance, for the foundations of four herds 

 those of the Marquis of Huntly, the Earl of Fife, the 

 Earl of Aberdeen, and Mr Fordyce of Brucklay were laid 

 by purchases made on the occasion. Sir George Mac- 

 pherson Grant acquired for 63 guineas the cow Sybil 974, 

 who was afterwards exhibited by him, as she had been 

 before by Colonel Eraser, with much success. She founded 

 a family at Ballindalloch. Her twin daughters Fred's 

 Darling 1055 and Fred's 2nd Darling 1045 each established 

 a tribe at Mountblairy and Mulben ; and Mr Dingwall 

 Fordyce obtained Blanche 1117, who bred Bella Mary 1503 

 who afterwards became the first-prize cow at the Inter- 

 national show at Paris in 1878. Mina 1009 and Lily 1114 

 also established families, the members of which continue 

 to be held in favour. 



Aboyne Castle. 



The interest displayed in the polled breed by the 

 Marquis of Huntly was suitably recognised by his lord- 

 ship's appointment as first President of the Polled Cattle 

 Society. Lord Huntly commenced to breed polled cattle 

 at Aboyne Castle in 1870. In that year he purchased 

 at the Castle Eraser dispersion the two-year-old heifer 

 Lively 1164, who had won prizes at the Highland Society's 

 and Eoyal Northern Society's shows as a yearling and 



