The Idler Magazine, Volume III, April 1893 | Page 3

one of the
neighbouring paddocks, but she is dark brown in colour, and, with her
long-flowing mane and tail, looks like a miniature carthorse. Like most
of Her Majesty's animals, she is fond of society, and objects to be
separated from a large handsome grey donkey which was bought on
one of the Continental journeys, and now occupies the same paddock as
the Shetland. In order to take the pony's portrait comfortably, it was
found necessary to invite the donkey to be present as a spectator.
[Illustration: "TEWFIK."]
[Illustration: "THE SKEWBALD."]

[Illustration: THE SHETLAND MARE.]
The next pet to be inspected is an animal which most people would
prefer to cultivate at a distance, being none other than the enormous
bison named "Jack," a magnificent specimen of his race, who was
obtained in exchange from the Zoological Society. The Canadian grew
savage, and had to be sent away. "Jack," in spite of his immense
strength, is of a very peaceful, almost timorous, disposition. Strictly
speaking, he can hardly be called a pet, as the artist prudently takes his
likeness from behind a high wall. All friendly overtures to this last of
his race are vain. He remains pensively gazing at the opposite wall, a
tear trickling down his broad nose. Even the joyful bellow of his
next-door neighbour, a half-grown Jersey bull, fails to attract his
attention, although the animal, as it recognises its keeper's step, climbs
half over the wall to be fondled.
[Illustration: JACK.]
Here we must not pass without examination some most beautiful little
Jersey calves with silky coats and great wondering eyes, which look as
if the world was a charming mystery to them.
In the next stall to the Jersey bull stands an eccentric-looking little
animal called "Sanger," a pony presented to Her Majesty by the
well-known circus proprietor of that name. "Sanger" is now nine
months old. This strange little animal's breed is practically unknown,
and his appearance most eccentric; indeed, his legs show a tendency to
stride to all points of the compass. In colour he is cream; his eyes are
grey, with pink lids; and he has white eyelashes like an albino. His
manners are not demonstrative, but coldly courteous.
[Illustration: "SANGER."]
Outside, in the park, is another pet, which was presented to Her
Majesty by Lord Wolseley, a peculiarly tall, deerlike-looking animal, a
Zulu cow, bred from a bull which was originally the property of
Dabulamanzi, Cetewayo's brother. Cetewayo, curiously enough, when
paying a visit to the Shaw Farm, saw his brother's cattle, but did not

appear to admire them much when compared with the English. A
well-bred English cow has four times the substance and breeding of her
Zulu sister.
Attention may also be called to some magnificent red Spanish cattle,
whose noble heads and gigantic horns are in themselves a study for the
artist.
It should be mentioned here that when Her Majesty drives through the
private road which leads from the Castle past the kennels and dairy to
the Shaw Farm, she likes to see the animals as they come up to the
railings, and is thus able to observe how former favourites bear the
burden of their years. The Queen names most of them herself, and
never forgets an old friend.
Before going on to the kennels, by permission of the courteous
manageress, we enter the beautiful Royal dairy, which was built under
the direction of His Royal Highness the late Prince Consort in the
twenty-first year of Her Majesty's reign. It is more like an apartment in
fairyland than a dairy. The walls and ceiling are composed of
exquisitely shaded Minton tiles, the dairy itself being about forty-five
feet long and thirty wide. Long marble tables run right round the sides
and up the centre. On these tables are some 90 white earthenware pans,
each of which contains about seven quarts of milk. The butter is sent to
Osborne every day, and averages about twenty pounds weight in winter
and forty in summer. A small supply for the Queen's own breakfast
table is also made in a special churn every morning.
Around the walls of the dairy are medallions of the Royal family, with
the monogram V.R. between. At each end of the dairy stands a
beautiful fountain; there is also one at the side. All these fountains
came from the Exhibition of 1851; the design is a stork supporting a
lily leaf into which the water falls. The roof is supported by three pairs
of arched pillars, and the windows are double, the inner set being
stained with designs of Tudor roses, hawthorn, primroses, white
marguerites, the rose, shamrock, thistle, and Scotch harebell. The outer
windows are plain glass. Beyond the glass is another window of wire
gauze, so minute that in hot weather both windows can