Shorthorns  in  Scotland  and  Ireland. 
103 
bulls  hired  from  Warlaby,  most  of  them  at  a fee  of  from  200  to  300  guineas 
per  season.  The  Warlaby  sires  used  have  been,  “Elfin  King”  (17,796), 
“ Ravenspur”  (20,628),  “ Sir  James  ” (16,980),  “ Prince  Christian  ” (22,581), 
“ England’s  Glory  ” (23,889),  “Master  of  Arts”  (34,816),  “ King  William” 
(34,358),  “ Royal  Mowbray  ” (42,330),  and  “ Lord  Provost  ” (46,697),  the 
present  stud  bull.  Since  1863  a sale  of  young  bulls  and  heifers  has  been 
held  annually  at  Ballywalter,  and  through  these  the  herd  has  done  a vast  deal 
of  good  in  the  country.  The  average  price  obtained  for  the  young  bulls, 
about  eight  months  old,  in  1863,  was  22 1.  17s.  4c i.,  and  last  year  (1882) 
twenty-five  realised  46?.  2s.  id.  a-head,  whose  average  age  was  under  nine 
months. 
In  later  years  herds  of  high  standing  have  been  established  and  maintained 
by  Mr.  John  Downing,  of  Ashfield,  Fermoy ; Mr.  R.  J.  M.  Gumbleton,  of  Glana- 
tore,  Tallow  ; Mr.  W.  R.  Meade,  of  Ballymartle ; and  others.  Mr.  Meade  has 
been  specially  successful  in  breeding  thick,  substantial,  useful  bulls,  which 
have  found  a ready  sale  at  fair  prices.  Mr.  Downing’s  herd  at  one  time  or 
other  contained  representatives  of  several  of  the  most  valuable  tribes  in  the 
country,  including  the  “ Fame,”  “ Mantalini,”  “ Madaline,”  “ Heath  Rose,” 
“ Bright  Eyes,”  and  “ Medora,”  and  for  many  fine  animals  bred  by  him  he 
obtained  long  prices.  In  April  1882  the  Ashfield  herd  was  dispersed. 
Twenty  animals  realised  fully  56 1.  a-head,  while  for  ten  heifers  the  average 
was  72 1.  6s.  11c i.,  the  highest  in  the  United  Kingdom  for  the  season. 
Mr.  Downing  has  laid  the  foundation  of  a fresh  herd.  Mr.  Gumbleton’s 
herd  was  founded  in  1871  by  purchases  at  Castle  Grove  and  Westland.  It 
numbers  over  sixty  head,  and  the  principal  tribes  are  the  “ Fame,”  “ Medora,” 
“ Anna,”  and  “ Heath  Rose.”  Bulls  of  good  Booth  blood  have  been  used. 
Prior  to  1840  some  well-bred  Shorthorns  were  introduced  into  Co.  Kerry 
by  Mr.  Pierce  Mahony.  From  his  sale  in  1841  the  stock  went  chiefly  to 
Mr.  W.  T.  Talbot-Crosbie,  of  Ardfert  Abbey,  and  Mr.  T.  Sanders,  of  Tallow 
Glen.  The  stud  bull  “ Robin,”  bred  by  Lord  Cloncurry,  and  got  by  “ Con- 
stitution” (11,307),  grandam  the  Rev.  Henry  Berry’s  cow  “ Lady  Sultan,” 
was  obtained  by  Mr.  John  Christy.  “Robin”  won  the  first  prize  at  the 
Royal  Dublin  Society’s  Show  in  1838.  Soon  after  this,  herds  were  formed 
by  Mr.  Maurice  Sanders,  and  Mr.  Charles  Nash,  of  Ballycarthy.  Through  the 
annual  sales  of  bulls  held  for  some  time  by  Mr.  Nash  much  good  was  done 
in  the  locality.  None  of  these  herds  now  exist. 
The  Ardfert  Abbey  herd,  the  property  of  Mr.  W.  T.  Talbot-Crosbie,  was 
founded  in  1841  by  the  cow  “ Bess,”  bought  from  Mr.  Pierce  Mahony. 
There  are  no  representatives  of  this  cow  now  at  Ardfert  Abbey,  but  there 
are  many  in  the  possession  of  farmers  throughout  the  county.  The  herd 
numbers  close  on  ninety  females,  and  the  principal  tribes  are  the  “Riby” 
branch  of  the  “ Anna  ” family,  the  “ Flower,”  “ Portia,”  “ Vesper,”  Aylesby 
“ G.,”  “ Medora  ” or  “ Isabella,”  “ April  Daisy,”  “ Florence,”  “ Gwynne,” 
“ Peacock,”  “ Duchess,”  and  Topham’s  “Venus.”  The  “Ribys”  consist  of 
that  beautiful  cow  “ Riby  Marchioness,”  by  “ Knight  of  the  Shire  ” (26,552), 
and  three  of  her  female  descendants.  At  the  great  Aylesby  sale  in  1875 
Mr.  Talbot-Crosbie  gave  1323?.  for  “ Riby  Marchioness,”  then  only  5 months 
old.  She  has  turned  out  a fortunate  investment,  for  she  has  already  laid  a 
substantial  foundation  for  what  promises  to  become  a numerous  and  most 
valuable  family.  At  the  spring  sale  in  1882  three  young  bulls,  one  son  and 
two  grandsons  of  “ Riby  Marchioness,”  realised  an  average  of  113?.  Is.  each. 
For  about  a quarter  of  a century  the  sires  used  at  Ardfert  Abbey  have  been 
of  highly  prized  Booth  strains.  The  celebrated  Athelstaneford  “Isabella” 
bull  “ Lamp  of  Lothian  ” (16,356),  taken  to  Ardfert  in  1858  at  a cost  of 
250  guineas,  was  followed  by  three  “ Fame  ” bulls  from  Castle  Grove,  Mr.  R. 
Booth’s  “ Royal  Sovereign  ” (22,802)  coming  in  between  the  last  two  “ Fame  ” 
