if absent, be produced. I was told years ago that one of the most successful bitches that ever lived, and which was thought to be quite invincible, was indebted to art, and to art only, for her thumb marks! This was the bitch Queen II., with which the late Mr. Henry Lacey, of Hebden Bridge, did so much winning about 1870-2. That this story is no exaggeration, the following will perhaps prove. I was judging a pretty strong lot of black and tan terriers at a west country show some few years ago. Among them was a beautiful bitch which then appeared in the ring for the first time, and, notwithstanding the fact that she was absolutely without thumb marks on her fore feet, I gave her first prize. Some time after, in conversation with her owner, I alluded to his bitch, and said she was so terrier-like in body and general character that I had no hesitation in placing her where she was, notwithstanding her deficient markings. Well," said her owner, "the celebrated *** never had a mark at all, other than was artificially provided, and the same man who 'pencilled' and 'thumb-marked' her feet offered to do the same for my bitch, but I did not care about running any risk, and she is good enough without them." I was well acquainted with all the parties concerned, and, at any rate, twenty-five years ago this "faking" of black and tan terriers was carried on to an alarming extent, and, as already stated, it required an expert to detect where deception had been practised. Markings were, and still are, a sine quá non in the black and tan terrier, more so, indeed, than in any other dog, not excepting either the Yorkshire terrier or the Dalmatian. These dark or black markings on the brown feet of black and tan dogs of all varieties are more or less common, and are found defined to a certain extent on collies of that colour, and on black and tan or Gordon setters. So far as the terriers are concerned, the marks come out more prominently, because they have been bred for, and dogs and bitches with the best markings have been mated together, with the result now seen in the terriers to which this chapter is devoted. Soon after the formation of the first black and tan terrier club some interesting correspondence took place in the Field relative to the description of the variety. The late Mr. James Taylor, already alluded to, wrote on the subject, and so did the late Mr. Henry Lacy, who at one time owned the best kennel of "black and tans" that had ever been brought together. Moreover he had made the breed a lifestudy, and it was said what he did not know about black and tan terriers was not worth knowing. However, neither gentleman agreed with the early description that the club had issued, which, however, remained open for revision. A portion of Mr. Lacy's letter and his description are worth producing, although his remarks as to cropping are valueless at the present time. He wrote as follows: "In the first place," says Mr. Lacy, "let me point out that black and tan terriers are essentially a Manchester breed. Use the phrase 'Manchester terrier' and any fancier knows at once what you mean. Hence it is that all the most famous smooth black and tans have been reared in and around Manchester. Here are a few of their names: Old Gass; Barrow's Pink; Handley's Saff and Colonel ; Laing's Charley, Cade. and Jerry; Lacy's Queen II., General, and Belcher; Justice's Viper and Vulcan, and innumerable others of a true quality. "I will now lay down what I deem to be the true points by which the quality of a black and tan should be judged, taking a dog weighing from 17lb. to 18lb. Body. Well formed and short. Girth of chest about 20in. Back nicely arched, falling gently to root of tail. "Head. In length, from occipital bone to tip of nose, 7in. to 8in.; skull, between the ears, almost entirely flat, with a slight hollow up the centre Ears. My opinion on this point is very decided, although I am aware that many fanciers do not share it. I admire a scientifically cropped ear, well up, and pretty long. This gives a sharp, bright appearance to this particular terrier. "Neck. Not too long, and slightly arched, and betraying no coarseness at the point at which it joins the lower jaw. "Feet.-Small, with the toes well together. The hind feet should be cat-shaped, but the fore feet should be rather hare-footed, and come to a point in the centre. "Tail.-The tail should be set on a level with the height of the shoulder, and carried straight or only slightly curved. It should be thick at the base, and taper gradually to the end, measuring from 8in. to 9in. "Coat.-The coat should be short and fine in texture. I have invariably found that when the throat is entirely covered there is a tendency to a heavy, coarse coat. I therefore do not object to lack of hair on the throat, as I consider it a distinct characteristic of the breed. I look for a fine ་ silky coat of raven black, with a brilliant glossy appearance. "Colour.-A rich mahogany tan, of as uniform a shade as possible. Tan spots on the eyes and on each cheek. The tan on the muzzle should begin at the nostril, and continue by the ridge of the nose and then fall under the jaw. The division between this and the pea mark on the cheek should be decided and distinct. The paw mark on the forelegs should be equally pronounced, and each toe should be nicely pencilled. The colour under the tail should be as nearly as possible of the same shade of tan as the other marks, and the tail should cover it almost entirely. There should be no breeching of tan on the hind legs, on the neck, nor behind the ears. "I claim that if a black and tan possesses all these points, he is of the true breed, as it is accepted and understood by the best authorities in his native county of Lancashire." Such was the opinion of the cleverest judge of the variety we have known, and one who at one time held the most powerful kennel of the variety in the country, and he, with his man, "Bob" Carling (who was made the "horrible example" in the great cropping prosecution), could always be depended upon to send their terriers into the ring in proper |