BANFFSHIRE, a co. in the n.e. of Scotland, bounded n. by the Moray Firth; e., s.e., and s. by Aberdeenshire; w., by Elgin and Inverness shires. It stands 13th among the Scotch counties in size, and 14th in population. Its greatest length is about 68 in., its greatest breadth about 32—average 12; its extent of sea-coast about 30; estimated area, . 680 sq. miles. The surface, especially in the s. and s.c., mountainous, interspersed fertile valleys and tine pastures; but the surface near the coast is comparatively level. The chief mountain-ranges, rivers, and strike of the stratified rocks, run from s.w. to n.c., and the whole co. is an extensive slope in the same direction, from the Grampians to the Moray Firth, into which the rivers flow. The coast is rocky, but not high, except to the e. of Banff. The highest peaks are the :N orth Cairngorm, 4083 ft.; Ben-a-main, 3874; Ben Rinnes, 2763; Corryhabbie, 2369; Knock, 1416. Ben Macdhni, 4°05 ft., is partly in Banffshire. The chief rivers are the Spey, which bounds a third i of the co. on the w.; and the Doveran, 60 m. long, and mostly included within the couuty. The predominant rocks are granite, quartz rock, mica-slate, clay-slate, syenitte greenidone, graywacke, graywacke-slate, old red sandstone with fossil fishes. metamor phic limestone, sad serpentine. The serpentine near Portsoy has long been famous as the "Portsoy marble." Beryl and roek-crystal occur on Cairngorm. Lead, iron, anti mony, and plumba7o occur in small quantity. The soil in many parts is very fertile, and highly cultivated. In 1878, a third of the surface of B. was in crop, the chief crops being oats, turnips, and grass. The breeding of cattle is the chief object of the farmer. In 1878, B. had 7797 horses, 43,702 cattle, 51,903 sheep, and 3496 pigs. The chief man
ufactures of B. are weaving, bleaching, tanning, distilling, and artificial manures. Glen livet whisky has long been celebrated. The chief exports arc grain, meal, and cattle. There are 19 fishing towns and villages along the coast. The herring-fishery is exten sively carried on. The salmon-fisheries of the Spey and Doveran are very valuable, the Spey ranking after the Tweed and Tay as a salmon-river. B. is divided into the dis tricts of Enzie, Borne, Strathisla, Stratlidoveran, Balveny, Glenlivet. and Strathavon. The chief towns mail villages are Banff, Portsoy, Keith, Cullen, Buckle, Duff town, and Tomantoul. l'op. in '71, 62,023; with 107.7 females to every 100 males; 84.79 per cent of the children between the ages of 5 and 13 were receiving. education. There are 23 civil parishes in the co., and 81 places of worship (of which 33 beloug to the established church, and 24 to the free church). Valued rental of B. (1878-79), £221,123. The parliamentary constituency in 1878-79 was 2559. B., along with the counties of Aberdeen and Elgin, enjoys the Dick bequest (q.v.) for parochial education. Two thirds of B. belong to 4 landed proprietors. The co. returns one member to parliament. and Banff and Cullen unite with Elgin, Inverury. Kintorc; and Peterhead in returning another. B. contains numerous remains of antiquity, the most remarkable being the old churches of Gamrio and Mortlach. The former built in 1010, and used for public worship till 1830. is called the "Kirk of Skulls," the bones of the Norsemen who fell on the neighboring field of Bloody Pots having been built into its walls. Mortlach was for n c. the seat of a bishop, but David I., iu 1139, incorporated the see with that of Aberdeen.