The large, full, dark, expressive eye, which displays so much affection and strength of character-some would call it 'dourness '-is unfortunately too seldom seen; the large, full-domed skull is equally rare; and for one that has a good arched back there are dozens that are as flat as a Skye terrier. Bone, legs, and feet are also in need of improvement. These cannot be made by the aid of finger and thumb, so are allowed to go from bad to worse. The cause of the degeneracy we cannot tell. Faulty judging has certainly something to do with it, and if something is not done the strong-boned, small-sized, big-eyed, silver-domed terrier will be a thing of the past."

As a companion, the Dandie Dinmont terrier is quite satisfactory. He is game, intelligent, as a rule free from vice, and no more addicted to a fight than other varieties of the terrier. His long body and short legs enable him to carry a considerable amount of street dirt into the house when he is made part and parcel of the family. Otherwise he is a good household quadruped, being fond of children and amiable in his disposition. To my mind, he is not, so useful an assistant to hounds as a fox terrier, or any longer-legged, more active dog. Nor is he fast enough for rabbit coursing. The latter is, no doubt, an advantage to them from a moral point of view, because coursing matches with bagged rabbits

are not likely to be made in his favour, as is unfortunately the case with the modern fox terrier. The Dandie Dinmont, a hard bitten, determined terrier, is liable to kill his fox underground, if he can get to him, rather than drive him into the open, nor is he of that form likely to make him an active water dog, though fond enough of a swim. He is quaint in appearance, by no means unornamental on the hearthrug before the dining-room fire, and will repay in affection for anything that he eats when kept as a dog in the house.

No better terrier as a "friend" could possibly have been than the writer's Sir Douglas, alluded to earlier on. Often the companion of my fishing

excursions, he knew when to hunt rats and when not to do so. He struck up an acquaintance with a family who lived near some gunpowder works, with whom I used to leave a salmon rod to use as occasion required. Douglas liked the people there, he liked the children. In the winter season, when we did not go fishing, Douglas paid weekly visits on his own account, walking quietly along the footpaths through the fields, never leaving the "trod," though rabbits might be on both sides of him. He was petted by the youngsters, wagging his great tail the while, and in an hour was off on his four miles return, taking the same route as he had on the

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outward journey. Again, if I left him at home when I had gone out angling, in nine cases out of ten he would meet me on the road back, two miles or so out of the town, especially at night time. Poor dog! he had a sad failing, he killed cats, but knew well enough he ought not to do so. Let "pussy spit at him, her life was soon over. He loved to go out to afternoon tea with the children and their nurse who were my neighbours. On one occasion a large and ferocious brown retriever flew at the youngsters; Douglas was at the dog's throat in an instant, and it was generally believed he saved the children from being worried to death, as the brute was, a short time afterwards, destroyed by magisterial orders for almost killing a little girl. The same afternoon Douglas was in disgrace, because he killed the cat in the house where his family party were taking tea.

More than twenty-five years since a semi-tame fox was on view as an additional attraction at one of our canine exhibitions in the north of England-I could name the date and the show, but I will not do so for reasons that are no doubt apparent. Some of the keepers and committee who were on duty during the night having an idea that they could have a bit of sport, unbenched two or three of the wire-haired terriers, said to be "good at badger, fox,

or fighting," and one by one let them at the poor fox. However, sport there was none, for the terriers quite refused to tackle their game. "Try Sir Douglas" (who was benched at the same show), said one fellow, and Sir Douglas was at once brought upon the scene, and, licking his lips-as was his wont under such circumstances-made a dash at the fox, immediately pinning it by the throat, much to the chagrin of those who were in charge of the show. Somehow or other they managed to get the dog off before the fox was quite killed, though the poor thing died just after the show-it was thought from distemper contracted thereat!

What this favourite dog of mine was as a faithful companion, no doubt any ordinary Dandie Dinmont would prove to be under proper training, and, even at the risk of being considered egotistical, I have ventured to give the above particulars of a terrier once well known on the show-bench, and the mention of whose name to some people would have much the same effect as a red rag is said to have upon a bull.

Although it is always very much a matter of opinion as to what are or have been the best Dandies of modern and of recent times, it may be as well to give a list of a few I have known, as such might perhaps come in useful for future reference.

There was Capt. Lindoe's Dandie (who won at Cremorne in 1864), Mr. W. Dorchester's Cloudie and Jock, Mr. J. H. Murchison's Melrose, Mr. Macdona's Kilt, Mr. P. Scott's Peachem and Nettle, Rev. T. Mosse's Shamrock and Vixen, Mr. Bradshaw Smith's Dirk, Mr. J. Locke's Sporran and Doctor, Mr. J. A. Mather's Warlock, Mr. W. F. A. B. Coupland's Border Prince, Mr. D Bailie's Border King; the mustards Mr Steel's Edenside and Mr. Clark's Heather Sandy; Mr. G. Graham's Maud II., Mr. Leatham's Heather Peggy, his Little Pepper II. and Ainsty Belle, Dandy, Marvel, Vesper, and quite a host of other good ones with the prefix of Ainsty; Mr. D. J. T. Gray's Philabeg, Mr. W. T. Barton's May Queen, Mr. Stordy's Rab, Mr. T. F. Slater's Tweedmouth; Mr. J. Brough's Belle Coota, who made a most successful début at Manchester in 1894; Mrs. Grieve's Thistle Grove Crab, Tinker, and Dandie; Mr. J. E. Dennis' Cannie Lady, Mr. J. Tweddle's Carel Tiger and Carel Tartar, Truthful and Cargen Duke; Mr. Alexander Downie's Blacket House (late Piper Allan), a mustard that won at Manchester, in 1896; Mrs. K. Spencer's Elspeth and My Queen; Mrs. A. Steele's Scotland's Pride, Kelso Count, Beauty, and Scotland's Prince; Mrs. Grieve's Thistle Dandie, Mr. T. P. Potterton's Puff, Mr. A. Mutter's Blackadder, Mr. H. S. Whipp's King of