KECENT PUBLIC SALES. 451 



by Mr Morison of Bognie. Heather Blossom 1703, of 

 the Eothiemay Victoria family, was bought as a yearling 

 by Mr Hamiay, Gavenwood, for 30 guineas, her dam 

 Heather Bloom 1809 being secured by Mr M'Combie of 

 Tilly four for 54 guineas. A few weeks later — in 

 November 1872 — the Eothiemay average was exceeded 

 bj^ over £3 at the draft sale at Ballindalloch. The 

 highest price, 60 guineas, was given by the Earl of Fife 

 for Erica 4th 1697, of the Erica family. At the Drumin 

 sale in 1873, an average of over £40 was realized, Lord 

 Huntly taking Gem 1595, of the Pride family, for 70 

 guineas, and Beauty 959, of the Beauty family, for 60 

 guineas. At Portlethen in 1874, Lord Huntly bought 

 the famous cow Madge 1217 for 51 guineas. 



The transactions at subsequent sales enter closely into 

 the current history of the breed, and will be found detailed 

 in the notices of the various herds. We may just note 

 the outstanding features. The highest price paid for a 

 polled animal at a public sale up to the date of its occur- 

 rence was got at the Westertown dispersion in 1874, 

 when Lord Huntly gave 95 guineas for the bull Duke of 

 Perth 357. The Mulben dispersion in 1876 was pro- 

 bably the first occasion when there was a decided run by 

 breeders upon members of a particular family, four females 

 of the Pride of Aberdeen familj^ averaging over £6 8, while 

 the general average of the sale was £32. High averages 

 were obtained at the Ballindalloch and Drumin sales that 

 year. At the Tullochallum dispersion in 1877, the Erica 

 cow Miss Macpherson 1252 brought 90 guineas. The 

 Erica cow Erica 4th 1697 made 101 guineas at the 

 Corskie sale. Heather Blossom 1703 fetched 111 

 guineas; Warrior 1291, 155 guineas; and Sir Wilfrid, 

 100 guineas, this being the first sale of polled cattle 

 at which prices went into the " three figures." At the 

 Montcoffer sale in 1878, the Erica bull Young Viscount 

 736 was bought by Sir George Macpherson Grant for 



