North Yorkshire district the strain is still kept and valued highly. But, all round, the wire-haired terriers now are not what they were six years ago, when a team of them could, and did, compete successfully against the smooths at the best of our shows. Mr. Clear might bring out a good team now, but we do not know anyone else who could do so at the present time.

Mr. F. Baguley, Mr. C. Burgess, Mr. C. Bartle, and Messrs. Castle and Shannon, and Mr. J. Izod may be mentioned as having special interest in the variety to which this chapter is devoted; and the best specimens now being shown are Jack St. Leger and Jigger, already alluded to; Mr. A. J. Forest's Prompter and Ebor Turmoil, Mr. A. E. Clear's Cribbage, Mr. W. Beacall's Sunfield Frost; Cauldwell Nailer, once owned by Mr. Harding Cox, and sold at his sale for £35 to Mr. Thurnall, his present owner, who after purchasing him for less than 20 had transferred him to Mr. Cox for about a hundred guineas; Mr. E. Bairstow's Rustic Marvel, Mr. H. Stewart's Belle of the Ball, Mr. A. Mutter's Surrey Janet (now in the United States), Rydale Pattern, Daylesford Brush, Valuer, and Velocity; but not one of the above is actually in the front rank.

It may be that the continual breeding from the smooth-coated variety, instead of going back to the

old wire-haired strain, is now having its most injurious effect, for, however successful a first cross of this kind, or of any other kind, may be, the succeeding ones seldom or never succeed. Again the modern wire-haired fox terrier requires "trimming" to be shown to advantage; the hair is in fact plucked off his face and from other parts of the body; indeed, one can scarcely say how far this "tittivating" of the show dog does go. I do know that occasions are not isolated where a wire-haired terrier has been purchased, which in a month has grown so much coat as to be scarcely recognisable under his altered conditions. Of course, this cannot be laid down to the "smooth cross," although it may be owing to neglect in the contrary direction a few generations back. It has always been a matter of regret that the Kennel Club has not dealt with the "trimming' or 'faking" of some terriers in a high-handed fashion; as a fact some members of the Fox Terrier Club have been on the point of moving the omission. of the wire-haired fox terriers from their books solely on account of the so-called "trimming" to which so many of the variety are subjected.

The club's points and description are as follows: "The wire-haired fox terrier should resemble the smooth sort in every respect except the coat, which should be broken. The harder and more wiry the

texture of the coat is, the better; on no account should the dog look or feel woolly, and there should be no silky hair about the poll or elsewhere.

"The coat should not be too long, so as to give the dog a shaggy appearance, but at the same time it should show a marked and distinct difference all over from the smooth species.

Disqualifying Points.-1. Nose white, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colours. 2. Ears prick, tulip, or rose. 3. Mouth much undershot."

This description is by no means satisfactory, especially so far as allowance for coat is observed. The points for an actually distinguishing characteristic are far too few, a correct coat is worth 20 points, and an absolutely soft one should be a disqualification. Personally, I would far rather own a white terrier with a "spotted" or "cherry-coloured"

nose, and a hard close coat, than I would one with a black nose and a soft coat. Indeed, there is a belief in some quarters that the red-nosed dogs have keener olfactory organs than have those with black nostrils. I think, too, that, however little the dog is undershot, he ought to be disqualified, and one much overshot or "pig-jawed" should likewise be placed at a disadvantage. However, it is to be supposed that descriptions of dogs, like the animals themselves, can never be perfect to all alike, and one honest judge's opinion is pretty much as good as another honest judge's, if the public can only be brought to believe so.

It is no more than human nature that there is difference of opinion as to the merits or otherwise of a terrier. That which may be considered an almost fatal fault by one person, by another may be thought of little detriment. Some judges-men, too, who bear a deservedly high reputation as such, will put a terrier out of the prize list if it be even a trifle crooked on his fore legs or slightly heavy at the shoulders; whilst another dog, narrow behind and weak in loins, to my idea a far more serious failing, is considered pretty well all right so long as its fore legs are as straight as arrows. As a fact, there are judges who have recently gone to extremes in awarding honours to these so-called narrow

fronted" terriers. Such have been produced at a sacrifice of power and strength. Most of these very narrow-chested dogs move stiffly, are too flat in the ribs, they are deficient in breathing and heart room, and can never be able to do a week's hard work in the country, either with hounds or round about the badger earths or rabbit burrows.

A sine quá non with some persons appears to be a long lean head, and jaw long enough, figuratively writing, to "reach to the bottom of a pint pot." There is danger, too, in an exaggeration in this direction, for ninety-nine times out of a hundred the longest and narrowest heads, greyhound-like in shape, are found on that stamp of terrier fittest for coursing matches.

All admirers of the fox terrier must give and take a little from each other, for only by so doing can their favourites be produced to that perfection we are all desirous of seeing attained. A general uniformity of excellence must be the guide in the show ring, and that man is the best judge who makes his awards most nearly in accordance with this rule, and is not led away by a long, narrow head, beautifully coloured, or abnormally straight fore legs; let him find terrier character first, and rummage out minor fanciers' points afterwards.