OLD JOCK 1. 103 



ion then, as it is now, that Jock should have stood first. 

 Being second, however, in such circumstances, was high 

 merit, there being thirty -two Shorthorn bulls, many of 

 them first-class, independent of all the other breeding 

 animals in the showyard." A striking confirmation of the 

 accuracy of the remarks we have made about Old Jock is 

 furnished by the catalogue of Mr Watson's sale at Auchter- 

 tyre, in 1853. Nearly aU the cows and heifers at that sale 

 are stated to have been after Old Jock, — thus proving, 

 apart from other evidence, that it was this bull that 

 was used by Mr Watson from 1843 to 1852. Mr Dixon, 

 in ' Field and Fern,' says Old Jock was one of Mr Hugh 

 Watson's favourite bulls. He was, observes Mr Dixon, 

 " the most stylish of the lot, and showed, as his owner 

 never scrupled to say, much of the Shorthorn superiority 

 in hair and touch." Mr Ferguson says : " Old Jock was 

 the best polled bull I ever saw ; and he never looked better 

 than when he was taken in at 180 guineas at the Keillor 

 sale in 1848, at which Mr Wetherell officiated as auctioneer, 

 using the sand-glass." Mr William Watson says : " My 

 father used to think Old Jock the best bull he ever bred ; 

 and, as a sire, he has never been surpassed in the annals 

 of polled stock. He was a grand grazier, iron in constitu- 

 tion, and of superlative quality." 



(6.) The sixth Jock was Black Jock (No. 3 of the 

 ' Herd Book '). This bull, calved in 1848, was after Old 

 Jock 1, and out of Old Grannie 1. He was purchased 

 by Mr Ferguson, Kinnochtry, when three months old, for 

 seventeen guineas, and was used in his herd. 



(7.) The seventh Jock was Young Jock (No. 4 of the 

 ' Herd Book '), calved in May 1849 : he was also after Old 

 Jock 1, and Mr Ferguson says he was out of Octavia 331. 

 He gained the first prize at the Highland Society show at 

 Perth in 1852, at which he was entered as " 3 years and 

 4 months old." Young Jock was acquired by Mr Ferguson, 

 Kinnochtry, in whose herd he was afterwards used. 



