294 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



over a number of imported horses. In 1865 he imported! the 

 far famed Comet 174, a horse that had traveled in Scotland 

 one season, but that remained in service in Ontario for upwards 

 of twenty years. Many of his colts were prize winners, and 

 with the exception of Netherby 126, there was never a horse 

 in Ontario that sired so many good colts. In 1875 he showed 

 four imported mares at five different shows, and won first prize 

 on each occasion. In 1882 he imported a horse and three mares, 

 winning with them both at the Provincial and at Toronto. In 

 1883 he imported thirteen animals and in 1884 nine, several 

 prize winners being included in each lot. For the next four 

 years he made extensive Scotch purchases but in 1887 and '88 

 his sales were so large he was unable to show. In 1885 he won 

 first with a Canadian-bred yearling by Boydston Boy, that 

 defeated the first prize winners at the English Royal, the Royal 

 Northern, and the Glasgow Summer show that year. He sold 

 this horse for $2,500, the highest price ever received for a 

 Canadian-bred drafter up to that time. 



During his first ten years he imported and bred Leicester 

 sheep and for the next fifteen, maintained a flock of Cotswolds 

 as well, but from 1860 to 1880 he bred Cotswolds only, with 

 the exception of a few Shropshires handled between 1863 and 

 1867. From 1880 onward, however, extensive importations of 

 Shropshires were made and the foundations of many successful 

 flocks both in showyards and breeding pens were laid in Thistle 

 Ha' purchases. In 1887 his Shropshires won the silver medal 

 at Toronto for the best middle or fine wool flock, and in 1888 

 they won the flock prizes both at the Provincial and at Toronto. 

 In 1889 he sold from the farm eighty-five Cotswolds and 425 

 Shropshires, his stud rams being the imported ram Director 

 and the undefeated English and Canadian champion lamb. 

 Spearman. For a number of years Mr. Miller paid consid- 



