170 EXTINCT HERDS. 



At the 1879 sale, Mr M'Combie of Tillyfour bought a 

 good many animals, chiefly representatives of the various 

 branches of the Queen tribe. Lord Tweedmouth also made 

 several important purchases. At the sale in 1881, old 

 Madge 1217 fell to the bid of Mr Smith, Powrie, for 100 

 guineas. Charmer 3rd 3251 was taken by Mr Wilken, 

 Waterside, for the Honourable J. H. Pope, the Canadian 

 Minister of Agriculture, for 100 guineas. Mr Burdett- 

 Coutts bought Cowslip 2nd 3004 for 100 guineas, and Mr 

 Greenfield of Beechwood secured Vine 9th 3256 for 115 

 guineas. 



Duff House. 



Few herds of polled cattle have had a more distinguished 

 career than that which belonged to the Earl of Fife at 

 Duff House, near Banff. For several years it occupied a 

 leading position in the national and local show-yards, and 

 during its short existence was instrumental in effecting 

 considerable improvement among the live stock of the 

 country. The bulk of the herd was taken over at valua- 

 tion by Mr Hannay, Gavenwood; and as we shall have 

 occasion to give an account of the polled cattle at Gaven- 

 wood, it is unnecessary here to enter minutely into the 

 breeding and history of Lord Fife's stock. It is desirable, 

 however, to indicate briefly the materials of which the 

 Duff House herd was composed, and to record a few of its 

 principal performances in the show -yard. Lord Fife 

 founded his herd by the purchase, at Colonel Fraser's sale 

 at Castle Fraser in 1870, of the cow Fanny of Corskie 

 1014 by Priam 467, for 53 guineas, and the bull-calf, Lord 

 Ornoch 445 out of Fanny 1014 and after Jamie of Easter 

 Skene 367, for 40 guineas. At the Easter Skene draft sale 

 the same year was bought Beauty of Easter Skene 996, a 

 member of the Keillor Favourite tribe, for 35 guineas. At 

 Mr Tayler's sale at Eothiemay in 1872 was purchased 

 Linnet 1706 of the Drumin Lucy family, for 23 guineas, 



