MONTBLETTON HERD. 277 



established, we think, that these cattle were of the polled 

 breed. Mr Walker, Wester Fintray, appeared at shows as 

 a breeder and exhibitor of polled cattle ; some of his stock 

 were among the first introduced to the Tillyfour herd, and 

 the late tenant of Montbletton recollected having seen at 

 Blair, in 1826, a beautiful polled heifer sent from his 

 uncle's farm at Wester Fintray. On entering Montbletton 

 in 1831, Mr Walker brought with him polled cattle from 

 Blair, and these doubtless had some connection with the 

 stock at Wester Fintray. In the existing herd at Mont- 

 bletton, the blood of the Wester Fintray polled cattle is 

 directly represented. As we have indicated, therefore, 

 the Montbletton herd possesses an interest beyond that 

 excited by its own excellence, inasmuch as it can be traced 

 to the herd of Mr Walker, Wester Fintray, one of the most 

 famous, as it was one of the earliest, of improved polled 

 stocks in Aberdeenshire. 



Although Mr Walker commenced breeding polled cattle 

 at Montbletton in 1831, the records of the present herd 

 do not enable us to speak with precision about its 

 members until 1849. The cause of the break was in- 

 attention to pedigree. There was then no ' Herd Book,' 

 and it was not until the collection of materials for that 

 publication was begun in 1850 that Mr Walker kept 

 notes of the breeding of his cattle. The herd, which 

 has always been of considerable dimensions, is descended 

 from not more than half-a-dozen females. The first animal 

 of which a record has been retained was introduced to the 

 herd in 1849. This was Victoria of Fintray 607, bred by 

 Mr James Collie, Middletou of Fintray, after Panmure of 

 Middleton 37, and out of Lady Margaret of Fintray 785. 

 She was the foundress of the Montbletton Victoria family. 

 At the Tillyfour sale in 1850, the cow Young Charlotte 

 103, bred by Colonel Dalgairns, Balgavies, after Black 

 Hugh 316, and the winner of the first prize at the High- 

 land Society's show in 1848, was acquired for 35. From 



