as a rule the custom to name a dog of any kind until it is fairly well grown, and appears likely to turn out good enough to keep; so I fancy a fair average to take will be, say, one in four born come to be "named and entered at the Kennel Club." A rough estimate of the number of fox terriers born. each year may be formed from the fact that something like one hundred and eighty of the smooth and wire-haired variety are registered at the Kennel Club monthly. These are, however, not all, for very many more are reared by people who are not exhibitors-dogs bred for hunting and other purposesand whose owners know nothing about shows, the Kennel Club, and registration. Taking such into consideration, I should say that something approaching 9000 fox terriers are produced in the United Kingdom each year, and it is strange so few perfect ones are bred amongst these thousands. Surely there never was such a popular dog, and he, unlike his noble master, does not appear to become spoiled by flattery, and by the adulation of the wealthy. In manners he is the same he always was, his eyes brighten, and he springs up to attention when he hears the cry "Rats!" now when he is worth £200 just as he did when he was a comparative street dog, and worth less than a five pound note. As I have already hinted, in appearance he has changed rather; at present he is a somewhat leggy, flat-ribbed dog, and is as a rule deficient in expression and character compared with what he was in the early days. Still, Major How, when residing near Gloucester, showed every now and then as terrierlike dogs as the best of the older race, his Stardens Sting and Stardens King to wit. Mr. R. Vicary, too, has many dogs abounding with character in his kennels, some of them, however, higher on the legs than I like. The Messrs. Clarke's champion Result and their Rachel were terriers, but this kennel has not produced much of note since I wrote the " History of the Fox Terrier," whilst another kennel, which to my mind has produced the best style of terrier of modern times, that of the late Mr. F. Burbidge, is now reckoned with the "has beens." Hunton Baron, Honeymoon, and Bridegroom were the best of the Burbidge blood. It may be well to mention here that Mr. Burbidge's terriers were, consequent on the death of that good sportsman, once the captain of the Surrey team of cricketers, sold by auction at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, in the early spring of 1893, when 131 lots, including puppies, realised £1807 6s. 6d., an average of a trifle over £13 16s. The best prices were for Hunton Justice, 80 guineas; Hunton Tartar, 135 guineas; Hunton Brisk, 70 guineas; Scramble, as a rule the custom to name a dog of any kind until it is fairly well grown, and appears likely to turn out good enough to keep; so I fancy a fair average to take will be, say, one in four born come to be "named and entered at the Kennel Club." A rough estimate of the number of fox terriers born each year may be formed from the fact that something like one hundred and eighty of the smooth and wire-haired variety are registered at the Kennel Club monthly. These are, however, not all, for very many more are reared by people who are not exhibitors-dogs bred for hunting and other purposesand whose owners know nothing about shows, the Kennel Club, and registration. Taking such into consideration, I should say that something approaching 9000 fox terriers are produced in the United Kingdom each year, and it is strange so few perfect ones are bred amongst these thousands. Surely there never was such a popular dog, and he, unlike his noble master, does not appear to become spoiled by flattery, and by the adulation of the wealthy. In manners he is the same he always was, his eyes brighten, and he springs up to attention when he hears the cry Rats!" now when he is worth £200 just as he did when he was a comparative street dog, and worth less than a five pound note. As I have already hinted, in appearance he has changed rather; at present he is a somewhat leggy, flat-ribbed dog, and is as a rule deficient in expression and character compared with what he was in the early days. Still, Major How, when residing near Gloucester, showed every now and then as terrierlike dogs as the best of the older race, his Stardens Sting and Stardens King to wit. Mr. R. Vicary, too, has many dogs abounding with character in his kennels, some of them, however, higher on the legs than I like. The Messrs. Clarke's champion Result and their Rachel were terriers, but this kennel has not produced much of note since I wrote the " History of the Fox Terrier," whilst another kennel, which to my mind has produced the best style of terrier of modern times, that of the late Mr. F. Burbidge, is now reckoned with the "has beens." Hunton Baron, Honeymoon, and Bridegroom were the best of the Burbidge blood. It may be well to mention here that Mr. Burbidge's terriers were, consequent on the death of that good sportsman, once the captain of the Surrey team of cricketers, sold by auction at the Agricultural Hall, Islington, in the early spring of 1893, when 131 lots, including puppies, realised £1807 6s. 6d., an average of a trifle over £13 16s. The best prices were for Hunton Justice, 80 guineas; Hunton Hunton Tartar, 135 guineas; Hunton Brisk, 70 guineas; Scramble, 65 guineas, and 70 guineas for the puppy Hunton Squeeze. This was the greatest sale of fox terriers. by auction that has yet taken place, and must be considered quite successful. Mr. F. Redmond, of Totteridge, has been particularly successful up to date with his terriers, and D'Orsay, bred by Mr. J. W. Toomer, and already alluded to, must have proved a little gold mine to his owner, whilst Dame Fortune's and Donna Fortuna's successes have been quite phenomenal. Mr. J. A. Doyle, Crickhowel; Mr. G. Raper, Mr. Jordison, Thirsk; the Duchess of Newcastle; Miss Hatfeild, of Morden, Surrey; Mr. E. Powell, jun., Mr. T. Whipp, Mr. T. B. Sykes; Mr. C. Burgess, Spilsby; Mr. A. Gillett, Lancashire; Mr. R. B. Haymes, Christchurch, Hants; Mrs. Bennett Edwards, Hayden Hall, Pinner; Mr. G. C. Drabble, Sandown, Isle of Wight; Mr. C. Houlker, Accrington; Mr. F. Reeks; Mr. R. Gillard, son of the old Belvoir huntsman; and Mrs. Burns, Ireland, appear at the time I write to have more than useful strains. Whether it is worth while giving a list of what I consider to have been and are actually the best of the race since showing has introduced them to the front, is an open question. Perhaps for future reference it may be well for me to do so; at any 1 |