106 Report upon the Spring Show of Thoroughbred Stallions 
this day in horses in this district. Nor was their respect for 
him misplaced, as he exercised great influence on the breed- 
ing of hunters in the county. Next, perhaps, in popular 
estimation may be ranked " Perion," by " Whisker," out of 
" Darioletta," the dam of " The Flying Dutchman," " Van 
Tromp," and " Barbelle," a celebrated brood mare. "Pe- 
rion " was brought into the county through the foresight of 
Dr. Headlam, of Newcastle, whose fame in stud-book know- 
ledge was as great as that of Dr. Bellyse, of Audlem, Shrop- 
shire, in all matters connected with cocking. " Motley," 
by " Touchstone," out of a Lanercost mare, is another whose 
name is not yet forgotten, and the same may be said of " Pine 
Apple," the sire of a race of rushers and pullers, yet fine 
jumpers, and of hardy constitution. In Durham, "Sir Peter" 
was a great success, and so was Sir H. Vane Tempest's 
" Hambletonian," whose services the tenantry were welcome to 
at next to nothing. " Dr. Syntax " has been often talked 
about as a great hunting sire, though as a matter of fact he 
was not in great repute in Durham ; his stock were apt to be 
leggy, narrow, and only light-weight hunters at the best. In 
this respect he differed greatly from the famous *' McOrville," 
who travelled Durham as well as Northumberland, and who 
invariably got short-legged, weight-carrying horses, no matter 
what sort of mare he was put to. This, at least, is the reputa- 
tion " McOrville " bore in the North, though, perhaps the 
praise must be subject to a trifling discount, as experience 
has shown that the selection of the mare has a great deal to 
do with the excellence of the foal. On this question, 
however, something remains to be said presently. A good 
deal has recently been heard of the qualifications of Arabs 
as hunters, and some there are who would have history repeat 
itself by crossing our half-bred mares with Eastern sires. 
This experiment was tried in the North about 35 years ago, I 
believe. A Mr. Attwood had an Arab stallion or two. » The 
young stock are said to have been hard, wiry animals, that 
would go well when apparently over-weighted ; but they 
lacked pace, and were deficient in jumping capabilities. 
" Paulus," by " Emilius," was another travelling North-country 
sire, and a favourite one for weight- carrying hunters. The 
aim of breeders at that time was to put mares by "McOrville" 
to " Paulus," a plan that is said never to have failed to produce 
a valuable animal.- If mention be made of " British Yeoman," 
"Royal Ravenhill," "The Judge," "Gamester," "Laughing 
Stock," and " Revolution," an unfashionably bred horse, being 
by " Oiseau," the chief sires, which in older days made their 
mark in the North, will have been noticed. To repeat, 
