BALLINDALLOCH HERD. 191 



that the late Sir John Macpherson Grandfather of Sir George 

 Macpherson Grant, bought two animals of some celebrity 

 viz., Matchless, whose dam was bred by Mr Williamson, 

 St John's Wells, for 30, and Victor 2nd 47 for 20. Sir 

 John displayed much interest in the herd, and these pur- 

 chases show that he was even then infusing into it some 

 of the best blood obtainable at the time. It was not, how- 

 ever, until the present Baronet and owner came to reside 

 on his property in 1861, that the improvement of the herd 

 received that decided attention which made it take the 

 leading position in the country which it soon afterwards 

 did. As a proof of how greatly the herd has been im- 

 proved in recent years, it may be mentioned that, while 

 in 1861 only four first and two second prizes were gained 

 at the county and district shows with representatives of 

 the original stock, the number of prizes gained by the 

 herd in 1879 and 1880 was as follows : 42 first prizes, 

 4 special money-prizes, 13 cups and 7 medals, besides 18 

 second prizes. 



The first animal purchased by Sir George Macpher- 

 son Grant was Erica 843, acquired at the Earl of 

 Southesk's sale at Kinnaird in October 1861 for 50 

 guineas. For notes on the personal appearance of this 

 most celebrated cow, and her performances before she left 

 Kinnaird, we would refer our readers to the account of 

 that herd. Jilt 973, another remarkably good breeding- 

 cow, was purchased from the late Mr M'Combie of Tilly- 

 four in 1867 for 70 guineas. She was the second-prize 

 two-year-old heifer at the show of the Eoyal English Agri- 

 cultural Society at Newcastle, and also second at the 

 Highland Society's show at Stirling in 1865. Another 

 good addition was Sybil 974, purchased at the Castle 

 Eraser dispersion in 1871 for 63 guineas. She gained 

 almost every prize she could compete for, including first 

 as a cow in 1870 at the Dumfries show of the Highland 

 Society. Of the Pride family, valuable additions have 



