394 THE BREED IN THE SHOW-YARD. 



in rearing their beautiful tribes of glossy blacks, have 

 accomplished work of a noble character and lasting 

 national value. 



Scotch and English Shows. 



Regarding the achievements of polled Aberdeen or 

 Angus cattle in Scotch and English show-yards during the 

 past twenty years, we have been favoured with some 

 specially interesting notes by Mr William Macdonald, 

 Editor of the North British Agriculturist. These notes we 

 shall present in the writer's own words. Mr Macdonald 

 says : " For several years prior to 1865 polled cattle, if 

 not the largest, was one of the most meritorious features 

 of the Highland and Agricultural Society's shows. The 

 Tilly four herd was in those years in its best form. At 

 that time few could stand successfully against the late 

 Mr William M'Combie. Numerous were the honours 

 won by those remarkably fine animals, which traced their 

 descent to Queen of Ardovie 29, Charlotte 203, Angus 

 45, Hanton 228, etc. Quite a unique spectacle it was to 

 behold no fewer than five Tillyfour cows at the Highland 

 show in 1864, each forward for the gold medal in virtue 

 of former first honours in the cow class. Such a display 

 testified to a remarkable succession of showyard achieve- 

 ments on the part of the late Mr M'Combie. The follow- 

 ing year at Inverness Highland show he crowned all his 

 former National Society performances by carrying off no 

 fewer than five of the six first prizes for polls. Than 

 some of the Tillyfour females of that period, good judges 

 maintain that nothing better and very little as good has 

 since been seen in the polled ranks. Pride of Aberdeen 

 581, for instance, when she came out at Aberdeen High- 

 land show in 1858 with the first ticket for yearlings on her 

 head, made an impression which polled admirers have not 

 yet forgotten. Her head, ears and neck, shoulders, bosom, 



