BLACK MEG 766 AND PANMUKE 51. 93 



addressed to liim at various times in the years 1872 and 

 1873, and we feel privileged in being able to place them 

 before our readers. Mr FuUerton wrote from Mains of 

 Ardestie as follows: — 



"I was fortunate at Ardovie in 1833 in starting to 

 breed doddies — as we then called the breed — from a few 

 cows of excellent milking-qualities. To no cow I then 

 had was I more beheld than to a cow called Black Meg. 

 She was a most wonderful beast this, and a great milker, 

 and steady all the year round, although in her latter years 

 she did fall off in this respect a good deal ; but then I 

 suppose she was having calves up to nearly twenty years 

 of age. I shall never forget how her calves dwindled 

 down in size ; but it mattered not after we got hold of 

 them — we had only to milk them well, and they all came 

 to have size enough. To describe this cow. She was low 

 on her legs, as otherwise, but of lengthy and heavy build, 

 on small bone. Her back was straight as a rash, and her 

 tail so well set on that you would never tire to stand 

 behind her and to look along her back. Then her hooks 

 were so level, wide enough and not too wide. Then her 

 ears and eyes full and sticking well out ; then her beautiful 

 jaw and muzzle, with fine, good-natured expression of face, 

 were such, and when taken as a whole, why one could 

 stand and look at Meg and not weary for a whole hour, as 

 she chewed the cud ! Then her hair — my eye, such hair ! — 

 ' we shall never see the like again ; ' of the best quality, 

 and on to her flanks you could almost hide your hand in 

 it. She had a streaked udder, had a knack of having 

 quey calves, and in the colour of their udders they stuck 

 to the old lady's pattern. My cow, Queen of Ardovie 29, 

 daughter of Black Meg, was very like her mother in some 

 points, but was a heavier and more stately cow. Princess 

 of Ardovie 831, daughter of the Queen, was also a magni- 

 ficent cow. I sold her to the late Mr Watson, Keillor, for, 

 I think, 28 guineas — a big price in those days. She calved 



