augered the rather of Smithfield than the Gloucestershire grazing grounds.

Publish it not in Euston-square! tell it not at Gunterville! a Shorthorn heifer known as Orange Chips, a daughter of Grand Duke 19th, from a Cherry Grand Duke cow, failed to fascinate the gaze of even Mr. Bland. Telegram it not to New York! waft it not to Holker! a 700 gs. Winsome is prizeless, if priceless. A beautiful deep charming Winsome, moreover, a heifer which to the eye of the outsider realises in comfortable graceful placidity the Shorthorn lady of high degree; so richly clothed, so nicely proportioned, of sweetly feminine character, and yet of such comely breadth and use. Fashion is worth something when it proves like this, and good or grand though be the class, the little world struggling round that utter abomination of a ring is all but unanimous in placing Winsome at its head. Or, if she have a competitor, the rector of Marnhull must supply it in another daughter of Grand Duke of Oxford, the straight clever white, known as Olga, a famous heifer to show herself, were there but room to do so; or from Burghley, where they still improve upon that most terrible of titles, and manufacture Telemacina, an appellation warranted neither by Greek, Hebrew, nor Hindostanee. And, sublime in its ignorance, the world has gone wrong again; for, though the white be second, the Winsome is sent empty away! and the daughter of King James, studied with much fear and trembling, as Ward leads her away, the winner in the best class in the show. In simple Arcadian phrase, we don't see it," for this is about the most commonlooking of anything kept in; with little or no style, a harsh thin coat, narrow and mean in her quarters she is scarcely anywhere a prize Shorthorn; and the surprise manifested on the award being announced approached very closely on indignation. In a large class of calves, Mr. Outhwaite maintains his supremacy through a daughter of Royal Windsor, from a Baron Killerby cow, a straight, well-balanced heifer of much quality, with Mr. Linton as good a second, and plenty of others to pick over, or more readily to cast aside. And so we turn away to the Sussex 'pound," hearing by the way that Mr. Fox, the owner of the discomfited Holkers, for he has a couple in the class, is busy buying more Bates in America, with Colonel Morris' herd in price.

The Sussex bulls still offer something like a direct contradiction to any recently-assumed affinity with the Devon they may very possibly have come originally from the same stock, but a Sussex, as he grows on to maturity, is, save in colour, a very different animal to the other. The two classes of older bulls included many plain, coarse beasts-big in the bone and harsh in the hide; as, beyond Messrs. Stanford's Dorchester, there was nothing very noticeable until we came to the calves, wherein Mr. Smith, of Crawley, won with a Young Hartley, of a famous strain of blood, and a straight, symmetrical young bull of capital quality, very dark in his coat, with which he was bountifully supplied, the more especially on his crest, where the hair was roughed up as carefully as Garrick rumpled his wig when he faced the ghost. If not a shade or two darker than is quite orthodox, Young Hartley promises to become one of the champions of his breed. The cow and two-year-old heifer classes were both generally commended, and here we find the really show Sussex, at least as breeding stock, for they always come well at Christmas; indeed, so good were the cows, that Mr. Agate's comely heifer of last season, the then invincible Auburn, was now beaten, and fairly beaten, by Messrs. Heasman's sweet, straight, lengthy Cherry, as full of cow character as an Alderney, and at the same time with all the promise of growing beef. The first prize two-year-old went further to prove the use and

worth of the first prize cow, as one is the daughter of the other; while Pride of Ham was backed by a very good heifer from the Jayes herd, and the four classes of females, alike for merit and numbers, made up a very handsome exhibition—that is, when shown in the horse-ring, where the stock was paraded day by day. Now that horses are getting so costly, the Sussex farmers are again putting their oxen into harness as plough teams, where they both toil and thrive; indeed, Mr. Gorringe has a twelve years old beast, long in service at Kingston, weighing 210 stone, which he thinks of sending to the Smithfield Club at Christmas as extra stock, and something extra-ordinary to show would be be-for age, weight, and work.

The direct effect of a cattle show was well pointed by the display of Guernsey cattle, about the best entry ever made in this country. But a few years since the Guernsey, as seen about, was a coarse common animal, in striking contrast to the breed of the sister island; whereas at Croydon there was some signal improvement observable, without getting away from the proper type. The bulls, of bold carriage and masculine air, testified to this in a degree; while in the larger classes of females there were many handsome parti-coloured cows, which would appear to thrive as well in parts of England as on their own soil. Thus Mr. Compton's first-prize cow, island-bred, is the dam of his first heifer, calved in the New Forest; while the second young ball was reared in the same herd, and Mr. Fuller's second prize cow home-bred at Croydon. In fact, Messrs. Watson and Rendle have lost something of their lead, although no question the best of all for size and style was the grand old Rosette, a show cow still, although with close upon eight summers on her head. Despite Mr. Gilbey's clearing out at Christmas, and Mr. Simpson's partial sale of a week or two since, the whole-colour

fancy"--and it is little better than a whim-continues to prevail amongst the Jerseys; the Wray Park herd having sufficient in reserve to secure most of the premiums. Prince Crocus has ripened into a very handsome bull, somewhat of a savage, as the Jerseys often are, but far away the best here, as the two bull classes were not strongly filled; Mr. Simpson's first yearling beginning with a snaky, cunning kind of head, and showing little of the style of the darker and older bull, in whose class Mr. Beadel's second was also bred at Wray. Thus three out of the four prizes for male animals must be credited to the same herd, while in the three cow classes Mr. Simpson took one first and three seconds, the competition, in truth, not being so keen as it has been, despite the general commendation recorded in favour of the cows. An oppor

tunity was afforded here of comparing the Jersey with the Anglo-Alderney, as Mr. Simpson won with a six-year old bred by Mr. Picot on the Island, and was second with a seven-off bred by Mr. Welch at Redhill; and the contrast was certainly very remarkable. For fine character, high-breeding, and due development of Jersey

points," Pretty Maid at a glance was immensely the superior; although in the succeeding class it is but fair to say that the judges reversed this order, by placing one of Colonel Wilson's Suffolk Jerseys first, and a Jerseybred one, exhibited by Mr. Simpson, and known as Belle, second. There were some other pretty things in these classes, but the Alderneys, as they are still occasionally called, or the Anglo-Alderneys as further to be distinguished, were not anywhere up to the average of last season. By the way, one of the judges openly declared that he judged a Jersey as much after the manner of a Shorthorn as possible, as, if this be law, what becomes of the famous Scale of Points ?

Small as was the show of Herefords the best bull of any breed was declared to be here-the two year-old Tredegar, the property of Mr. Taylor, of Showle, and a well-known winner his life through, although beyond his

class, making no remarkable impression last season; the judges at Bristol terming him "a very good animal," and the steward "an animal of fair character." Tregedar, no question, has improved in the interim, and grown into a lengthy stylish bull, short on the leg, good to face, and especially distinguished by his capital loin. The champion class was quickly reduced to this bull and the Shorthorn Sir Arthur Ingram, a well-known Hereford breeder and frequent judge who stood at our side declaring for the Shorthorn. On being put to the vote, however, the award went the other way, the two Shorthorn judges and one Jersey judge being outnumbered by the two Hereford and three Devon and Sussex authorities. There is not much proof in this, but indisputably the two best animals were left in, there being, as we have intimated, "nothing particular" amongst the Sussex bulls, while the Devon bulls were as moderate, and their very judges did not deem the Channel Islanders fit to keep such company. If Fortune went against the Herefords at Bristol, she served them here. The second-prize bull in the older class, King of the Dale, is chiefly commendable for his size, and there is not much behind him; while the yearlings are but indifferent, with a couple of better calves in a class of four only. Amongst the cows and heifers Mr. Carwardine wins with a famous yearling, a really wealthy heifer, good all through, as at both ends, with a rare back and a beautiful bosom. The class, moreover, is, alike for numbers and merits, the best of the breed, Mr. Taylor, of Showle, having a very smart second, with Mr. Turner, of The Leen, and Mr. Warren Evans deservedly commended for their entries. The two prizes in the previous class of two-year-olds are both nice heifers, but the class again only counts up to four; and the best heifer-calf, a daughter of Winter de Cote, a credit to her sire, being full of quality and promise; while her dam Myrtle, a fairly useful cow, is also the best of her class, so that the calf's pedigree proves well. Mr. Lewis Loyd, from close by, also showed another useful cow, but the entry was not strong, a commentary which would apply pretty generally to the Herefords sent to Croydon; and we must look for better times when the West of England travels, as it will again next year, into the very capital of the white-faces.

The Devon and Somerset and Dorset breeders must also have shirked sending so far away as Croydon, and be holding themselves in reserve for Taunton, where we shall expect to see a much better show of Devons. The Flitton Barton herd is not what it once was, and Mr. Walter Farthing, the only exhibitor in any great force, did pretty much as he pleased-first for young bulls and bull-calves, first for cows and three-year-old heifers, and second for heifercalves, he did not show amongst the older bulls, nor had he any entry in the two-year-old heifer class. Nellie, the all-round prize heifer of last season, was not merely the best cow in a class of two, but the only one of her sex which stood in against the Shorthorn Vivandière, as the best cow of all. At her age, just three years, the Devon is a long way the more perfect show beast; beautifully fed, though rather too highly, with plenty of breeding about her, and though as level as a die, with a calf at her side, it was difficult to see how, as a specimen of breed, so patchy and faded an animal as the Yorkshire cow could be preferred, but her reputation served her once more, without, as it looked, the judges going through the form of dividing over the award. The two-year-old Pretty face is another really good heifer, and a further credit to Stowey; as is the stylish bull-calf, a son of Master Robin, with, so far, the promise of growing into "a better man than his father." The award over the two-year-old bulls reversed that at Newton Abbot the other day, when a highly-bred Flitton, by one of their Dukes, out of a Temptress, was placed first, and Master

Willie second. The Flittons were but second again in the old class, where, however, they were beaten with their own weapons, Mr. Gould's bull having been bred by the late James Davy, whose judgment and management would not appear to have been inherited. Mr. Gould also showed a blood-like shapely cow, bred on the moor, which might have done more with more competition than merely finishing second without competition to the Stowey cow. Mrs. Langdon did better amongst the younger heifers, where she took the two chief prizes, but the entry of Devons, as one of our three established breeds, was not strong enough in any way to talk about; and the high commendation of whole classes by the judges went far to render such a compliment simply ludicrous.

Although the accommodation for horses was good, and visitors furnished with a catalogue for sixpence, still they were left in much the same dilemma as the lads who parted with their coin for a peep at the Battle of Waterloo, and on asking the showman which was Wellington and which Napoleon, were told, "You pays your money, my little dears, and has your choice." Through thoughtlessness, or prejudice against breast numbers, now adopted at most shows of any note, the horses were only numbered on one side of the head, and by such small figures that, with nags moving, they were scarcely discernible half a dozen yards away. This mars in a great measure the pleasure of the ring-side, and prevents one giving the name and owner of many a deserving nag, as we never form an opinion of a horse in his box, and have long since given up the Drinkwater feat of running each animal down to his standing to get the figures. In fact, the numbering was scarcely any improvement on the first Royal show held at Oxford, when we had to ask, "What's the name of that 'un?" It is painful to contemplate by the ringside, drooping alone, like the last rose of summer, the only veteran left of a chaffing, laughing coterie of exhi bitors; and equally so one thoroughbred stallion for getting hunters walk round the ring unopposed for £70 prize money. We can scarcely account for this, for the Western Society has had a good entry of stallions ere now; and although we know that stallions at this time are fully occupied, still we think that half a dozen or more would have been entered from the many studs round London had the proprietors been favoured with a list of prizes, for there are gentlemen with no more idea of Bath and the West of England paying Croydon a visit than they had of joining an expedition to the North Pole. Defiance (now called Forlorn Hope) by Citadel, out of I Dare by Uncle Ned, is the name of this veni, vidi, vici Pomponius Ego hero, of which his owner, a gallant veteran of a thousand fights in the P.R., says, promises to make as valuable a hunting stallion as Citadel." This is a very doubtful compliment, as we, like many more, do not believe that Citadel is framed for getting hunting stock, without three or four swells wish to go hunting on the same horse. However, Defiance is a useful country stallion, with bone, and, as a rich bay with black points, is likely to get fashionable carriage-horses as well as hunters.

The fourteen five-year-old and aged hunters were not a dazzling sight, and the less we say about half of them the better. Mr. Battams' Brother to Palmerston, is as much like the Alexandra Park horse as he is like Alexander, Conon, or Lysander, or any other of the world's great heroes, and his Brown Stout is more of a coal-heaver than a Melton dandy. Then Mr. Trist's The Baron, from that snug little retreat at Ivybridge, in the wilds of Dartmoor, is a mealy bay, of fair hunting form, with power and action, and his companion, the Alderman, a quick cobby little bay hunter by Acrobat; while Mr. Cooper's chesnut gelding is a very nicely-formed horse, with breed, and a good stride in his gallop. King Charming, the winner, is of nice quality, and in form and action, a hunter, and a

horse we spoke favourably of last season when exhibited at the Great Yorkshire, held at Sheffield. He has not wintered well, in fact, he looks as if he had been on the strike, as he has a big knee. This was much noticed and remarked on by the cognoscenti, as a prize hunter, in the opinion of some people, should be as free from scars as a volunteer after a bloody engagement with a sham enemy. The four-year-olds were four in number. The first, Mr. Battams' Kelly, a big-framed horse, with head to match, showing no great quality, but of fair hunting form and action-a horse which reminded us of the much-lamented good old times, when the farmer's son, in fustian and leather leggings, was to be seen at the covert side, on the perfect four-year-old hunter to be had for forty pounds! a business which everyone with Progress for his motto must be glad is gone to ground with the parson reckoned rich on forty pounds a year. Mr. Trist's neat, but short bay, Sydenham, has knee-action enough for the park, and this, we think, is about his place, while we must leave the owners to place the other two. Glengyle, by Knowsley, is a very fine-grown three-year-old, with bone and quality, of whom we thus wrote, when he won at Chipping Norton: "The sweetest horse on the ground was the chesnut three-year-old by Knowsley, a colt with great liberty, fine stylish hunting character, and full of high-breeding. Indeed, save for his head being set on very throaty into his neck, it was difficult to find much fault with Glengyle; but he should surely be backed forthwith, as no horse of his age and growth can show so well in leading-strings as with a man on him, and there is no good argument in favour of keeping a colt whose mission it is to gallop and jump raw so long." The judges, beyond the prize of his class, awarded him the twenty pounds for the best nag in all the hunting classes, Major Barlow's King Charming being the reserve number, or highly commended. As, however, we said on first seeing Glengyle, he is fearfuly raw, and the conditions requiring that he should be ridden when going for the champion prize seriously endangered his triumph, as no horse showed so baldly when put through the daily parade with a man on his back. It is, indeed, something of a question, if, after having been treated so long as a spoiled child, he will ever fashion into what he assumes to be a hunter. At any rate he is now two very different animals when shown in hand and when with a saddle on. So much so, that the critic of a sporting contemporary writes thus of him at Manchester: "A beautiful lengthy colt, with a capital back, shoulders well laid on, good clean legs, and plenty of quality-a good horse all over;" whereas, when saddled at Croydon the same authority discovers that his "good horse all over" has "very moderate and loaded shoulders, with his neck badly put on." However, Glengyle has won all he could, at Manchester, in Oxfordshire, and at Croydon, before different sets of judges, none of whom had seen him until he came into the ring; and Mr. Hutchinson would give 300 gs. for him, as the sooner the Knowsley colt changes his stable the better.

The two-year-olds were but a poor class, the first, Precocity, being a level, lengthy colt, very straight on the croup, and more of carriage or charger character than hunting. Amazon, a lengthy, short-legged chesnut yearling, had a pedigree appended to her name, and Stella, the next in the catalogue, one which makes us fear that the obliging gentleman who compiles it, if he goes on at this rate, will soon have to attach to every entry the pedigree of the thoroughbred horse from the three original sources. The hunting brood mares and foals were a poor class of five, the first being a lightboned blood mare, and the second a neat, short-legged brown, Fieldfare. Fireaway the 2nd, a well-known prize-taker and trotter, once the property of Mr. Mitchell, of Denver, and Major Barlow's John Bull, a

nice stamp of harness cob, were a long way the best of the hack stallions; and next to these, Mr. Christy's Young Lumber, and Mr. Ankerson's Young Ambition. Although the fees differed there was no fight between the two Doctors amongst the hacks not exceeding 15 hands, calculated to carry 14 stone, as Mr. Watney's chesnut was the physician all over, and the cream, a clever little fellow, who looked as if he had seen some service. In the next class, the best-looking of which we could get the numbers were Mr. Fuller's Alice Grey, Mr. Watney's Nancy, and Mr. Trist's Model. Mr. R. Corbett had a clever little skewbald, not exceeding 14 hands, with nothing to oppose her; and there were a few nice ponies not exceeding 13 hands.

The agricultural horses made a much better show than the nags, and were well represented in most of the classes; but, through the figures on their heads being so small and towards the judges, we were left quite in the dark, as indeed we should have been with the nags had it not been for the indness of Mr. Booth and Mr. Turnbull, who, at the request of Colonel Luttrell, allowed the horses to walk round with the numbers to the lookers-on, a favour which we have not the slightest doubt Mr. Maynard and Mr. Howard would have granted had they been asked. Mr. Maynard, a master of hounds, came to judge the riding classes, but, in the absence of a judge, kindly took to the agricultural horses. The dozen stallions foaled before 1873 made a very fair display, as there were half-a-dozen or more nice horses among them, headed by a well-formed, active, short-legged shire horse, Prince Imperial, with the well-known Clydesdale Duke, a second Royal prize three years in succession, in close attendance. There were a couple of Suffolks, Mr. Byford's second at Woodbridge this year being a goodlooking four-year-old, while Mr. Farnell's Duke, and some others, were worthy of notice. The two-year-old cart colts made up a very good class, mustering about a dozen, the tug of war being between a handsome bay from Taan ton and Tenant-Right, a very cocky deep, sturdy brown Shire colt, with hind legs nicely placed for the pull-away haul-away business, as it was a near thing which was the better of the two. They were both nice colts, and fairly represented landlord ant tenant. Mr. Davis' roan, The General, Mr. Brown's iron-grey Elcot, and one of Messrs. Stanford's were commendable for their looks, while Mr. Byford's Pioneer, who came in for high commendation, and Mr. Garrett's colt by Cupbearer, fairly represented Suffolk; but the Suffolks, as a rule, found not much favour in the eyes of authorities from Durham and Lincoln. Messrs. Stanford were again to the front with Flower, a fine deep-topped Clydesdale mare with bone and power, and a prize-taker at Dorchester and Winchester; while the second was a very nice mover from Lincolnshire, in foal to Honest Tom. An old flea-bitten grey from Mr. Hone, of Cheltenham, was very taking, and looked as if she would keep anyone awake when walking at her side. The iron-grey Diamond and bay Flower are two nicely-made, good-looking two-year-old fillies, and the Messrs. Stanford for Nobleman, a bay three-yearold cart stallion, were awarded the thirty-guinea local prize for a horse to serve mares within twenty miles of Croydon at two guineas; the brothers being further complimented by the judges for the stock they had shown throughout the day. Mr. Freshney's Honest Man and Uncle Tom were a very handsome, deep, well-made pair of bays, and their opponents, a chesnut and a bay shown by Mr. Still, useful and no more; as Mr. Freshney was again in luck with a fine thick set four-year-old gelding, Drayman; and there was a good class of three-year-olds but we missed Mr. Kitchen's yearling. Mr. Hoare and Mr. Leslie came out in strong force with their enormous mules, the very incarnation of ugliness, which would create

more consternation among the rustics if met roaming in one of the shady lanes on the confines of Euston than a thousand Fakenham ghosts. Such classes are alike absurdities and monstrosities.

We had a complaint made to us that an official in the ring actually dilated on the beauties of a horse to the judges while they were over their verdict, telling them of a fabulous sum offered, and so forth. If this be true it is intolerable. We are also sorry to say that we saw a wellknown exhibitor in the ring, who knew as well as we do that he was setting a bad example. We go for a clear ring, fair play, and no earwigging.

Estimated by numbers by far the best filled of any of the sheep classes was that of the shearling Southdowns, set off, however, by more inferior entries than perhaps were ever brought together by a Society of any calibre. Fresh exhibitors have, of course, pretty generally something to learn, but flockmasters who have been about for years seem to have fallen away sadly, as many a round O in our catalogue would testify. As it was the adjustment of the prize-list was put about a bit, and the Heasmans have not done so well since they first made their mark at the Canterbury Royal many years back. They were first for ewes, with a pen uicely sorted, smartly got up, and especially noticeable for their substance, as the sheep spread more at Angmering than when ranging over the down land. Again, in the shearling ram class beyond mere commendations the brothers were second with a smartly set sheep, with size and weight in his favour, although not to compare in this way with a great coarse animal at his side, also by one of Mr. Henry Webb's rams which the Messrs. Heasman have been using. It is quite possible to breed a Southdown on too large a scale-a fact which a mixed bench will often fail to see-and this big sheep was commended accordingly, for his merit by mere avoirdupois weight, no doubt. Mr. Penfold was highly commended for a much better stamp of ram to take on to a prize flock; and Sir William Throckmorton won outright the first prize of the class and the champion prize as the best of the Shortwools, with a gay stylish sheep of a good outline, with plenty of substance, nice wool and firm flesh. He started, moreover, with a neat head and a bright eye, and looked like a winner, although the referee admitted him to be "not without fault." Mr. Rigden for once failed to get even a commendation for shearlings, which certainly did not show up to his standard, although there was some talk of their upsetting the Croydon awards at Taunton, as has happened before now when an odd lot of judges has been put on to appraise animals which are, or should be, of so fine a type as the Southdown. The council of the Smithfield Club never made a more glaring mistake than when, in its wisdom, or want of wisdom, it ignored such a corrective as the light-weight class. In the older class, which was of a higher quality, the Hove flock got back to its old place, taking both the premiums, the first with the Bedford shearling, a compact blood-like ram, as some would have said the best of the breed, and the second with an entry of much more moderate character. Mr. Hugh Penfold, Sir William Throckmorton, and Mr. Humphrey, of Ashington, showed some really commendable sheep in this class, where the general commendation, however, was not warranted: so long as there is an indifferent entry included, such a compliment can go for little or nothing, and there were two or three, or four, "quite shocking" sheep, whose great merits were thus spoken to in the old class of Southdown rams exhibited at the Croydon meeting of the West of England Society. Lord Sondes' sale is coming on, and Mr. Woods was in office, so that the only flocks of Norfolk Southdowns represented here were those of the Prince of Wales and Mr. Colman, which finished second

and third in the ewes class with two fairish pens, the Buckland ewes being at best but a delicate sample.

With Mr. Rawlence sold out, and Mr. Morrison an absentee, the Hampshires returned very much to their "old original" type, of a great coarse useful animal, whose very head defies every line of beauty. The most " seemly" ram was Mr. Bennett's two-shear, the same flock winning in the shearling class, while only one prize was awarded for ewes, Mr. Rigg's pen, as well as his rams being disqualified as unfairly shorn. Lord Chesham's sheep, with all their fine character, are showing more constitution or going back more to the Shropshire standard; and thus, with only Messers. Mansell and Pulley to encounter, the Latimers took four prizes with four entries. The competition, though small, was creditable throughout, and the shearlings were all deservedly commended; while Lord Chesham's great and grand old sheep, not out in public last year, was surely at all points the best of the short wools; but as each took his sheep, a Southdown breeder was called in as referee, and strange to say a Southdown won. Care should be taken to choose an efficient referee free, from partialities or prejudices, as there is no better all-round judge than Mr. Edward Little, whose services were available here. The Oxfords were thought to have been got through in a hurry, and there was a deal of discussion over the placing of the first and second pens of ewes, Mr. Brassey's lot, bred at Blenheim, being the more sorty and breedy; neither was Mr. Street's first place in the previous class undisputed, as for Oxford character Mr. Druce's old sheep would have probably been declared the better with an Oxford man in office. In fact, the judging of these sheep was quite a hap-hazard business, saving in the shearling class, where the first prize fairly placed himself, as we thus spoke to his merits at Chipping Norton: "The sheep of the show was Mr. Milton Druce's shearling, which, if he does not refine' too much, threatens to be the Oxford Down Champion of the year, being a very handsome, perfect sheep in himself, whatever more they may ask in an Oxford."

The Longwool sheep were alike for numbers and merits but an indifferent display, and the judges here, indulging in no foolish flattery at the instance of anybody, exercised a righteous discretion in rarely appending a commendation to the actual a vards. Mr. Turner, of Thorpelands, won all the prices for Leicesters, his champion threeshear, so far as we could see, being a grand sheep, with a famous back; but like the shearling, he was overdone, and we could get neither up, as no animal, not even a big pig, evinces more distress from his indulgences than a show Leicester. The Cotswolds were more moderate even than has for some time past become the average of these occasions; but the Devons or long-wools, when remembering how far they were away, came out in force, although not reaching to that standard which they have done ere now about home. The Romney Marsh, useful though it may be still considered in Kent, is a sort never likely to extend itself; and the honour of the Dorset Horns when abroad is in the keeping of three or four exhibitors.

A big pig is scarcely a show animal; and although there were some fairly good samples of the large whites exhibited here by the Duckerings, Mr. Dove, Mr. Tisdall, Lord Ellesmere, and others, these classes were quite eclipsed by the small breeds, more especially of blacks, where the entries are chiefly confined to small pigs; whereas amongst the small whites animals not properly qualified for such a section creep in, as no doubt some of these will be entered hereafter as of the middle breed. With either colour, however, and if often outsized, Mr. Sexton, from Suffolk, had a long lead, his pigs being as carefully prepared as judiciously bred. In fact, we should

question whether there were ever seen such "beauties -the very word-as his blacks. Their heads tell at once of true pedigrees; as what with capital collars, and long deep frames, backed by bountiful coats of kindly hair, the Whersted pigs, in the way of a contrast, were something very trying for the long-snouted, razor-backed, washed-out pens to be seen in the same class. Moreover, their activity would gladden the heart of Lord Hampton himself; for no sooner does their owner find you stirring them up, than he has them out one after another, or two or three at a time. as he would probably have no objection to the daily parade round the horse-ring. And a show pig which can walk of course implies more promise for one which will breed, as there were awkward rumours here again of first prizes which had never farrowed; while the stewards of Societies more or less encourage these practices by the indifference they evince towards such cases, condemned animals again and again braving public competition.

The Berkshires were not so good as we have seen them of late years, many having false markings and light skins; but they were properly appreciated, Mr. Little being, of course, well up in the points of a Berkshire. The best sample of the breed, that is of a Berkshire not improved out of his original character, was Mr. Hewer's young boar, which, at his age, for size, shape, coat, and colour, showed how carefully the good old stamp has been preserved by the Hewers from father to the son. There is a happy medium between the coarseness of the Buckinghamshire and the delicacy of the Warwickshire Berkshires, which is very happily hit by the Wiltshire. There were some other clever pigs, as the prize-list will tell, entered here by well-known exhibitors, and some very faulty pigs entered by other well-known exhibitors; the Berkshire classes taken throughout not noting much advance, and failing to furnish that admirable display of breeding sows -"the class generally and highly commended"--which has occasionally ere now been the speciality of a Royal or West Country show.

PIGS.

E. Little, Lanhill, Chippenham.

J. S. Turner, Chyngton Farm, Sleaford. INSPECTOR OF SHEARING. E. Olding, Salisbury.

CATTLE.

DEVONS.

June 1, 1875.-First prize, £20, J Gould, Bampfylde, Exeter (Tempter); ; second, £10, Mrs. M. Langdon, Flitton Barton, North Molton (Duke of Flitton 10th). Highly commended: J. W. Biel, St. Leonards.

Bulls exceeding two and not exceeding four years old on

Bulls not exceeding two years old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £25, W. Farthing, Stowey Court, Bridgwater (Master Willie); second, £10, Mrs. M. Langdon. Highly commended; J. A. Smith, Bradford Peverell (Duke of York). Commended: J. A. Smith (Albert Victor).

Bull-calves above six and not exceeding twelve months old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £10, W. Farthing; second, £5, J. Gould (Sir Copplestone).

Cows in calf or in milk.-First prize, £15, W. Farthing (Nellie); second, £10, J. Gould.

Herers in calf or in milk, not exceeding three years old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £15, W. Farthing (Prettyface); second, £10, T. L. Senior, Aylesbury (Moss Rose 1st). Highly commended: W. Perry, Alder, Lewdown (Camellia). The class highly commended.

prize, £10, Mrs. M. Langdon (Actress 8th); second, £5, J. A, Heifers not exceeding two years on June 1, 1875.-First Smith (Fancy). Highly commended: J. A. Smith (Pet). The class highly commended.

Heifer-calves above six and not exceeding twelve months old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £10, Mrs. Langdon (Queen 3rd); second, £5, W. Farthing. Commended: J. Gould (Amazon). SHORTHORNS.

Bulls exceeding two and not exceeding four years old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £20, W. Linton, Sheriff Hutton, York (Sir Arthur Ingram); second, £10, W. and H. Dudding, Panton House, Wragby (Robert Stephenson). Highly commended: B. St. John Ackers, Prinknash Park, Painswick (Cymbeline); J. W. Paull, Knott Oak House, Ilminster (Young Prizeman). Commended: Marquis of Exeter, Burghley Park (Telemachus 6th).

Bulls not exceeding two years old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £25, J. Outhwaite, Bainesse (Duke of Chamburgh); second, £10, Lieut.-Colonel Loyd-Lindsay, V.C., M.P., Lockinge Park, Wantage (Lord Rockville). Highly commended: Marquis of Exeter (Telemachus 9th); W. Linton (Royal Irwin).

Bull-calves, exceeding six and not exceeding twelve months old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £10, J. Stratton (Royal James); second, £5, O. Viveash, Tewkesbury (Hudibras).

Coas in calf (or, if in milk, having had a calf within six months next preceding June 1, 1875).-First prize, £15, J. Outhwaite (Vivandiere); second, £10, W. and H. Dudding (Rosebud 4th). Highly commended: Messrs. Dudding (Blooming Bride); B. St. John Ackers (Queen of the Georgians). Commended: Marquis of Exeter (Moll Gwynne).

Heifers in calt (or, if in milk, having had a calf within six months next preceding the first day of the exhibition), not exceeding three years old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £15, Rev. R. Bruce Kennard (Queen Mary); second, £10, Lady Pigot (Rose of Lincoln). Highly commended: R. E. Oliver, Sholebroke Lodge, Towcester (Orange Chips). Commended Lord Sudeley, Winchcomb (Seraphina Bella 2nd).

Heifers not exceeding two years old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £10, Lady Pigot; second, £5, Rev. R. B. Kennard (Olga). Highly commended: G. Fox, Hare Field, Wilmslow, Cheshire (Winsome 16th). Highly commended: O. Viveash (Numidia); G. Fox (Melody); J. Outhwaite (Miss Fox).

Ileifer-calves above six and not exceeding twelve months old on June 1, 1875.-First prize, £10, J. Outhwaite (Duchess of Chamburgh); second, £5, W. Linton. Ilighly commended: Lady Pigot (Imperious Queen); H. A. Brassey, Preston Hall, Aylesford (Bracelet 18th). Commended: W. Nicholson, Basing Park, Alton (Laurel 5th); B. St. John Ackers (Baroness Paulett).