implicitly trusted to assist the company in her department, and has laid many miles of wires both in London and Brighton. And the company, recognising the value of a good servant, pay her fair wages, which she receives each Saturday morning along with other employés of the company."

Perhaps before closing the chapter attention ought to be drawn to the attempt made some time ago at a meeting of the Kennel Club to abolish the docking or amputation of the tails of all dogs, including, of course, fox terriers.

For many years it has been the custom to deprive certain dogs of a portion of their tails, which, no doubt, was originally done to prevent injury to that part of the animal when he was engaged in working the thick coverts. Some have said that when the tail was thus shortened the dog became stronger in the back and hind-quarters. At any rate, we became accustomed to stumpy-tailed dogs; such have always been popular, and, so long as the operation is performed with a minimum amount of pain, there is not likely to be any change in this respect. The shortening process is done when the puppy is about a week old, or even younger, when it is suckling, and when, like all young animals, it has little feeling. A pair of sharp scissors or a keen-edged knife soon goes through the tender skin.

L

and sinews, little blood flows, and the tongue of the dam speedily heals the sores.

There are other ways of docking, such as biting through the skin and hair of the tail, and then drawing out the sinew, which is much more painful; and, again, where the tail is actually gouged," or torn out-a system introduced from Belgium, and commonly performed on those Schipperkes as are born with tails on. There is also considerable cruelty perpetrated on those Old English sheepdogs which are deprived of their sterns. Perhaps because of such practices, and of occasional cases where the dog is matured when docked, the attempted prohibition was brought about. However, a proposition which, if adopted, would have entirely abolished tail cutting, received little support, and was withdrawn.

VI.

THE WIRE !!

ACH contained in the

são

4

able to the wire-haired No. make, and shape, the two to be identical, though the one has a sadece couf, the other a hard, close coat, somewhat rough. Although the Fox Tener Club distinguishes this dog, with doubtful propretv, as the "rough fox, terrier," I prefer to recognise nim by his proper title, which beads this chapter.

The coat of the wire haired fox terler should be hard and crisp, no, too long, neither for short, but of a tough, coarse textuce, finer anderneath, all so close and dense that the skin cannot be seen or even feb, and, if possibl, so weather and water resisting that the latter will stand on the sides like beads, and run of the whole body as it is said to do, and does, off a duck's back. There must not be the slightest sign of silkiness anywhere, not even on the head. A curly jacket,