SKENE HERD. 299 



used were Prince Leopold 1599, and Royal Victor 1780, 

 the last third-prize yearling at Stirling, and first at Banff 

 and Keith in 1881. The cows in the herd at present are 

 all good milkers. Among them is Nosegay 2nd 2156, 

 sixteen years old, who still maintains good condition and 

 breeds regularly. 



Skene. 



The foundation of the herd belonging to Mr Hamilton 

 of Skene was laid in 1874 by the purchase of Grace of 

 Indego 1847, Elf of Skene 2169, and Nellie of Skene 

 2172, all of whom have bred extremely well. From Elf, 

 after Prince of Wales 2nd 394, and descended from Bess 

 1161 by the celebrated bull Eob Boy Macgregor 267, 

 a family of Daisys has been reared; while Nellie 2172, by 

 Sir William 705, winner of the challenge cup at Aberdeen, 

 and similarly bred on the dam's side, a Nellie family has 

 sprung. The Pride cow Pride 3rd 1694 was bought in 

 1875. Several of the Mains of Kelly Victoria family o 

 the Queen tribe were bought, among them Victoria 7th 

 2256 by Gainsborough 596, who had been sold for 106 

 guineas. Some purchases were made from the Duff House 

 herd, and of these Mr Hamilton has several Marias, and 

 old Jinny 1017, the dam of the Highland Society's first- 

 prize cow Innes 1934. The first bull used was His Lord- 

 ship 838, bred by the Earl of Fife, after Palmerston 374, 

 and out of Linnet 1706 of the Drumin Lucy family. His 

 Excellency 1271, after Young Viscount 736, and out of 

 Violet of Montbletton 1399, of the Mayflower family, has 

 done splendid service, and has enabled Mr Hamilton to 

 bring forward several pairs of yearling heifers that have 

 taken good positions at the Royal Northern shows. His 

 Excellency won the second prize at the Highland Society 

 as a yearling, with other prizes at the National show ; and 

 he, with other members of the herd, has made a creditable 

 appearance at the Eoyal Northern and local shows. In 



