PREFACE. 



Any consideration as to the necessity for a work of this charac- 

 ter, or of the manner in which it has hitherto heen prepared, form no 

 suhjects for the present proprietor and editor of the Herd Book to 

 usher in his own name with. Both have been long and amply an- 

 swered. The use of the Book and the ahihty of its originator can 

 be best estimated by the reception it has met with from the pubhc — 

 a support far too decided to require one word of explanation for either 

 its revision or continuation. The editor is fully sensible that the 

 grand point now rests with himself ; the question how far he may 

 be qualified to succeed those who have succeeded so weU, and how 

 able he may be to progress in a pursuit, of which the most arduous 

 part has been accomplished. Here again he knows that to a great 

 extent he must turn to the same proof as his predecessors, and 

 that his labours must be looked on as his best arguments. At the 

 same time, however, he may perhaps be permitted to offer a word 

 or two on the reasons which led him to enter on duties for which 

 so much experience, if not indeed natural predilection, is required. 

 For above twenty years, then, has the study of his profession con- 

 stantly associated him with the most eminent breeders and farmers 

 of the kingdom, while his long intimacy with the Messrs. Coates, 

 has, he flatters himself, been attended with some of that advan- 

 tage their well-practised observation might be supposed to impart. 

 Thus, with the thorough countenance of those who commenced, 

 and the kind encouragement of a large number of eminent breeders, 

 whose support went so far to establish the Herd Book — amongst 

 the first of whom may be ranked the late esteemed Earl Spencer — 

 its new editor determined not only to revise what appears here. 



