68 IMPROVEMENT OF THE BREED. 



Ever since that time the Highland Society has givpn 

 due attention to the polled breed of the north-east, and 

 has more than once taken official notice of its peculiarly 

 high merits. At the Perth show of the Highland Society 

 iu 1852, there would seem to have been an excellent 

 display of polled Aberdeen or Angus stock, for in the 

 portion of the official report of that show referring to these, 

 we find the following sentences : " The Directors rejoice 

 that this and preceding shows indicate a praiseworthy 

 amount of effort and care on the part of breeders of polled 

 stock, followed by a corresponding improvement in the 

 stock. They cannot but regard it as the most valuable 

 breed of Scotland, combining as it does in a great measure 

 the constitution of the Highlander with the feeding pro- 

 perties of the Shorthorn." In 1834 the Highland Society 

 appointed a Committee to consider and report as to the 

 general arrangements for its live stock shows. The Com- 

 mittee gave special attention to the classification of " the 

 particular classes of stock, or breeds as they are called, 

 which the Society will recognise and encourage in their 

 pure state by the ofi"er of specific premiums ; " and recom- 

 mended that the live stock department be divided into 

 four sections — one for Shorthorns, one for West Highland- 

 ers, one for Ayrshires, and another for " the polled breeds 

 of Galloway and the northern districts." 



The Society adopted the recommendation, and acted 

 upon it until 1848, when separate sections were arranged 

 for the Galloways and the polled cattle of the north- 

 eastern counties. 



The starting of the 'Polled Herd Book' forms an import- 

 ant event in the history of Aberdeen or Angus cattle. 

 The movement was taken up actively by Mr Edward 

 Eavenscroft, who, after many years of difficult work, made 

 heavier by an unfortunate mishap, succeeded in bringing 

 out the first volume in 1862. The collection of the 

 materials for the first volume had been commenced about 



