condition, under the name of runts,—an expres- 
sive Scotch word which properly means old cows 
that have ceased to be capable of breeding. The 
runts are often sold at a very low price ; yet when 
transferred to good pastures in the south of Scot- 
land or in England, they rapidly fatten, and ac- 
quire a mass of tolerably good beef, and become 
very compensatory to the feeder. 
The native breed of the counties of Suther- 
land, Ross, and Cromarty, bear the name of North 
from the cattle of Orkney and Caithness. But 
two other breeds in Sutherlandshire, the Dun- 
robins and the Skibos, are so peculiar and inter- 
esting as, in spite of their comparatively small 
numbers, to challenge specific notice—The Dun- 
robins take their name from the Duke of Suther- 
land’s estate of Dunrobin Castle, and are well 
known, as very superior Highlanders, both in 
England and in Southern Scotland. They attain 
a great size at Dunbrobin, at Skelbo, and at some 
other places in the north; and, when brought 
down to the southern markets, have frequently 
excited surprise and admiration. ‘“ I remember,” 
said Mr. Dickson in 1835, “a lot of sixty four- 
| year olds being shown about twelve years ago at 
| the October Falkirk Tryst. They had the most 
sprightly and splendid appearance of any north 
country cattle I ever saw. They showed beauti- 
ful symmetry, straight level backs, round deep 
carcasses, great substance of flesh, strong fine 
eyes, and large, sharp-pointed, spreading horns. 
The only fault which could have been found in 
their symmetry was the large proportion which 
the fore bore to the hind quarters. They were 
fine fat, and would have weighed 55 stones the 
four quarters.”—The Skibos are bred on the estate 
of Skibo, and have, for a considerable period, been 
driven annually to the centre of Forfarshire, and 
there sold at exorbitant prices for private con- 
sumption at gentlemen’stehble _ 
as small as the Shetlanders, and almost as fine in 
the quality of their beef, and, at the same time, 
far more symmetrical and beautiful in form. 
They have a straight level back, pretty round 
ribs, small bones, a sharp muzzle, keen bright 
eyes, fine, small, sharp-pointed, spreading horns, 
a soft, thick, hairy coat, and a sweet touch; and 
they possess most of the good properties of rapid 
feeders. When viewed from above, they are dis- 
proportionately narrow and long; yet, when well 
fattened, they have the tops of the ribs well 
covered, and show remarkably fine points. 
The horned cattle of the mountainous districts 
of Aberdeenshire are a middle-sized variety, rather 
plain skinned, of pretty good symmetry, usually 
weighing from 30 to 50 stones when fat, excellent 
travellers, well adapted to the shambles, and in 
much favour with the graziers, not only of their 
native districts, but of the counties of Banff and 
Elgin. But the horned cattle of the interior of 
Aberdeenshire, about Huntly and Keith, and in 
CATTLE. 
Highlanders, and are scarcely distinguishable |: 
bone, fine coats of hair, with small muzzles, quick ° 
They. are nearly. 
_|and have strong, broad, fine bones; the muzzle is || 
743 | 
other low-lying districts, are a large, heavy | 
variety, commonly designated Aberdeenshire 
runts. They have large, long bodies, great ends, 
small middle, strong bones, long legs, a gaunt, 
stalking gait, smooth hair, large hooves, thick 
muzzle, dull, heavy eyes, and very thick, broad, 
long, spreading, turned-up horns. Many are 
worked in the plough till seven or eight years of 
age, and then fattened for the shambles, or driven 
away to the south. | 
An old and celebrated breed of Fifeshire cattle, 
called the Falklands, are supposed to have been 
imported by some of the kings of Scotland, to 
their favourite hunting seat of Falkland, from 
Hereford, Sussex, or North Devon; and they pos- 
sess considerable resemblance to the breeds of | 
these districts in both form and character; but 
they have become very scarce,¢and are likely 
soon to disappear. The prevailing horned cattle 
of Fifeshire are a coarse variety, which, in com- 
mon with the ill-shaped and half-haggard varie- 
ties of Caithness and Aberdeenshire, bear the 
contemptuous designation of runts. Their gen- 
eral outline is inferior to that of many of the 
morthern varieties; the direction of the back is 
curved, and falls below the level line; the bones 
are coarse; the legs are rather long; the eye is 
dull; the face has strongly marked features ; the 
horns are long, flat, and thick ; the hair is smooth ; 
the touch is rather hard; the tendency to fatten 
is comparatively feeble till the third or fourth 
year; and the beef is by no means good for the 
retail butcher, but suits well to be salted and 
shipped. : 
The West Highlanders or Kyloes are both the 
oldest and the best middle-horn breed in Scot- 
land. They include several pretty distinct varie- 
ties, and have undergone very different kinds and | 
degrees of improvement. The purest variety of 
them, though small in size and otherwise inferior, 
exists in Skye; other varieties of a comparatively 
“small size exist in other parts of the Hebrides ; 
varieties of Cox iparatively large size are found on 
the richer pastures of Kwss-shire, Argyleshire, and 
Perthshire ; and varieties beth large and small, 
occur in the counties of Inverness, Sutherland, 
Stirling, and Dumbarton, and in portions of some 
other Highland counties. The back of a £04 
Kyloe is straight and level; the upper surface of" 
the back is broad, all the way from the top of the ||’ 
shoulder to the rump; the sides are deep; the 
brisket is wide, and projects well forward; the 
buttocks are well filled up; the legs are short, 
fine ; the nose is a little turned up ; the eye is full 
and sparkling; the ears are thin, broad, hairy, 
and pricked ; the horns are wide-set, long, white, || _ 
tapering, sharp-pointed, and tipped with black. \ 
the hair of the coat, the head, the mane, the le 
lap, and the tail-end is shaggy, long, fine, and 
in the least degree curled ; the skin is me’ 
the touch is soft and kindly; the colours ay 
quently black, and sometimes red, dun, 07 
fo = 
