’ 
362 QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. {1 Noy., 1897. 
The Origin of the Ayrshire. 
Mr. Jonn Spurr, writing to the Scottish Harmer, says:—‘‘ The Theophilus 
Paton, of Ayrshire fame, died at the age of ninety-cight or ninety-nine some- 
where about eighteen years ago. I spent a great deal of time in the old 
man’s society. The origination of his Ayrshire herd and that of Mr. Parker 
Was an oft-repeated story of his. His version of it was, that his herd sprang 
from a Highland cow which his brother Will, who was a Highland cattle- 
dealer, had purchased somewhere in the West Highlands. That brother died 
forty years ago. The cow was mated with an Ayrshire bull, and the progeny 
was not only the nucleus of what turned out to be his famous Ayrshires, but 
also of these of Mr. Parker, of Broomlands, Irvine. It was about Mr. 
Parker’s time, forty years ago, that the upturned horns came into fashion; but 
whether or not Mr. Paton’s cow had anything to do with that, I am not ina 
position to say.” 
Mr. Stewart, of Eagle Farm Dairy, who has an intimate knowledge of 
dairy cattle, and who visited several Ayrshire herds in Scotland last year, says 
that he is quite of the opinion that the Highland cow is responsible for the 
upturned horns. 
SOME PRIZE AYRSHIRES. 
We have received from Mr. J. Stewart, of Eagle Farm, photographs of some 
pure-bred Ayrshires, which we reproduce in this issue. No particulars are 
given of them beyond what is stated on the photographs, but they are well 
worthy of being studied, as it is claimed they show all the points of that justly 
celebrated breed, and thus are of value for comparison with our own herds. 
The photographs were taken in Scotland last year, and brought to Queens- 
land by Mr. Stewart. 
