and the late Mr. John King was for many years at the head of the fancy there.

The Clydesdale terrier, though he can kill rats, and maybe other vermin, is essentially a pet dog, and usually finds favour as such. Like the Yorkshire terrier, his coat requires keeping in good order by repeated combing and brushing, though in this respect his owners do not take the pains and give the time to his toilet the Yorkshire fanciers do to their favourites, although occasionally the feet of the Paisleys are covered with wash-leather coverings in order that they do not wear away the hair therefrom, and to prevent them unduly scratching and spoiling their coats. I have likewise seen the hair on the head of the Clydesdale terrier tied back over the eyes, and to keep a dog in really tip-top form for the show bench something of this kind is required. Mr. Thomson Gray, in his Dogs of Scotland," who, it will be noticed, uses throughout the name "Paisley" terrier, says: While possessing all the characteristics of the Skye, as far as form, colour, and length of coat are concerned, they have a soft, silky coat, and on this account have been known for the past ten years or so as Glasgow or Paisley terriers. Previous to this, however, they were simply known as Skyes, and exhibited as such. The Paisley terrier has never

4

been very widely distributed, and seldom found beyond the valley of the Clyde. At the shows which were held at Glasgow a dozen or more years back, these silky-coated terriers were seen in all their beauty, and the fact of their appearing there as Skye terriers' was what first brought them into prominence. The fanciers of the hard-coated Skyes rose in arms against them, holding that they were not Skye terriers, as they had silky coats, and were only pretty 'mongrels' bred from Skye terrier 'rejections,' and ought to be known as Glasgow or Paisley Skyes. On the other hand, the breeders of the silky-coated dogs held, as a matter of course, that the texture of coat their dogs possessed was the correct one. This was untenable, as until the introduction of this variety no Scottish dog had a silky or soft coat.

After the decision against the eligibility of the silky-coated dog to compete in the Skye terrier classes, the breed rapidly declined. A few, however, held to the breed out of pure love and admiration for it, but they were few. The Paisley fanciers appear never to have lost sight of the dog, and it was not only by keeping and breeding them that they again brought the silky-coated beauties into popularity, but by instituting classes for them at the annual dog shows held at Paisley on New

Year's day. A fresh interest was thus begun in the breed, which has never been allowed to flag.

Breeders of hard-coated dogs, more especially if the coat be long, know how difficult it is to keep up the hard coat, on account of the washing, combing, &c., required to keep the dog in show trim, and also from the idle and indoor life exhibition dogs lead. A A pup now and again will be found in a litter with a soft coat, although not quite silky in texture. These a good breeder, as a matter of course, would reject, but how many do really reject them, if they are good in other points? They perhaps do not breed from them, but they do not hesitate to sell them, and thus increase the difficulty by giving good pedigrees to such dogs. In Skye terriers the length of coat is one of the principal points; one therefore can easily understand how a pup with an extra long coat would be prized, even should the coat be a little soft. This, then, was how the Paisley terrier originated. The silky-coated dogs, from their great beauty, took the eye, and were greatly prized as pets; and as the demand increased, which it very quickly did when they began to win prizes, they were bred in large numbers, and the points now attained were only arrived at by careful selection and scientific breeding. "It is unnecessary to go into a minute description of the Paisley terrier, as he is almost a counterpart

of the Skye, with the exception of the coat, which, instead of being hard and wiry, is as silky and long as that of a Yorkshire terrier; the longer and finer the more value is attached to this point; it is perfectly flat and free from curl. The colour is various shades of blue, dark blue being considered perfection in colour; the hair on head and lower extremities is slightly lighter, but should not approach a linty shade. The length of the hair on head and face gives character to this point; it reaches to the nose, obscuring the eyes completely; the ears must be erect, are well furnished with long hair, the fringe being the material point.

"The tail should not be carried high, but straight, and almost in a line with the back, the parting of the hair at shoulder being continued to the top of the tail, the fringe being thin and hanging straight and gracefully.

"In character and disposition this dog is goodnatured, affectionate, and lively; an intelligent companion, an excellent house dog, and most suitable for a lady who wishes something more substantial than a toy. It is notorious that in this breed more than in any other the poor condition and form in which most of them are exhibited often throws them out of their proper places in the prize lists."

I

From all

agree pretty much with what Mr. Gray says in the description, but I may add that the Clydesdale terrier is not so low on the legs, nor proportionately so long in the back as the Skye terrier. one sees and hears, I should not care to prognosticate a favourable future for the variety of which I write. The best strains remain in few hands; few are found outside Paisley nowadays, and although the club may do something towards popularising the variety, the trouble to keep the coat in good order will always be a bar to them as ordinary house dogs. In these sadly impecunious times, when it seems that, with few exceptions, a dog owner wishes to make money by his hobby or fancy, it is not likely that many men so disinterested will be found as to breed a Clydesdale terrier which they cannot sell for more than £15 or £20, when they can, with less difficulty, breed an equally good Scottish terrier that would be worth double the money. Yet with Sir Claude Alexander, of Ballochmyle, and Faygate Wood, Sussex, taking a great interest in them, and Lady Alexander, too, the popularity of this fancy variety of the dog may be increased.

Royal patronage, perhaps, could lift him up somewhat, but he certainly requires more than his own good qualities to raise him in public estimation and make him a popular dog.