that illustrates the original form from which our show dog has sprung is occasionally still to be met with. Dog shows have, no doubt, had much to do with transforming the rather cloddy Black-and-tan of former years into the graceful and refined animal now to be seen on the show bench. Noted among breeders who have had a large share in producing this "dog of the day" was Mr. Sam Handley, who in the earlier years of dog shows successfully exhibited, and became generally recognised as the greatest authority and most expert judge of this breed, some of the best dogs exhibited tracing back to his strain. That a cross has been resorted to in bringing about this change is more than probable; the great length of head, the tendency to show a tucked-up flank, and a something in the general contour, gives one the impression that Greyhound blood is in the breed; and if so it was probably obtained through the Whippet. Some specimens show the wheel back of the Italian Greyhound, a very decided fault in a Terrier of any breed. In the Black-and-tan the skull is certainly much narrower in proportion to length and to the size of the dog than in the Greyhound, and rumour says this end has been obtained by continued compression with wet bandages during puppyhood.

With improved elegance of form was introduced gradually a finer coat, and richer and more decided contrast in the colours; and when Nature had not been so kind as was desired in this respect, it was no uncommon thing, a few years back, for some of the votaries of the breed to assist her. Staining, dyeing, and painting are not now so commonly resorted to as was the case in former days, when the preparation of these Terriers for the show-bench was quite an art. To such an extent was this preparation carried out and condoned by judges that a dog shown in its natural condition had little chance of success. Careful breeding has done much towards bringing these dogs to perfection, but the more stringent regulations of the Kennel Club as to legitimate preparation for the show-bench and the enforcement of penalties where an infringement of these regulations is dis covered may account for the diminution in the number of cases in which "faking" (which cannot be too severely censured), is resorted to.

Although the modern Black-and-tan Terrier is unfitted for the hard, rough work at which his progenitor was an adept, it must not be inferred that he is a useless dog; on the contrary, he is game enough and death to vermin as all the Terrier family are, but he is simply not fitted to stand rough weather. He is also a remarkably active and cheerful companion, and makes a first-rate house-dog, being generally quite free from any objectionable smell, and does not harbour fleas, or carry dirt on wet days into the house, as rough-coated dogs do.

The Black-and-tan is frequently called the Manchester Terrier,

and for many years it was so designated by the Kennel Club in their Stud Book; but for some time past this definition has been dropped, and the breed now appears under the heading of Black-and-tan Terriers. This is as it should be, as this dog is really an old English Terrier; and although, at one time, many of the principal breeders and exhibitors resided in Manchester and the surrounding district, numbers of these Terriers are bred in other parts of the country.

There is probably no dog so difficult to breed in anything like perfection as the Black-and-tan Terrier (Fig. 106), for in addition to all the points required in other breeds, colour and correct markings are

essential qualifications. The black should be intense and jet-like, the tan a rich, warm mahogany, the two colours where they meet being distinctly defined-not running into each other. Occasionally, but very rarely, a blue-and-tan puppy will be found in a litter. These are, of course, useless for show purposes, but should not be too readily discarded by the breeder, as they evidently come from an old strain of Terrier, and will be frequently found to be exceptionally good in markings and all other points, except being blue instead of black, and the puppies bred from them are, as a rule, of the orthodox colour. On the head, the tan runs along each jaw, running down almost to the throat; a small bright spot of tan appears on the cheek, and another above the eye, each clearly surrounded

with black, and well defined; the inside of the ears is slightly tanned. There should be spots of tan on each side of the breast. The fore legs are tanned up to the knee; feet tanned, but the knuckles should have a clear black line, called the "pencil mark," up their ridge; and in the centre of the tan, midway between the foot and the knee, there must be a black spot, called the "thumb mark," and the denser the black and the clearer in its outline the more it is valued. The inside of the hind legs is tanned, and also the under side of the tail; but tan on the thighs and outside, where it is often to be found, producing the appearance called "bronzed," is very objectionable. The vent has also a tan spot, but it should be no larger than can be well covered by the tail when pressed down on it. A point on which great stress was laid until recently was the cutting of the ears, and unless this was what was called artistically done, there was no chance of an otherwise first-rate dog winning. This custom of cropping Terriers' ears was strongly deprecated by the late Mr. Dalziel and others, and no valid argument in its favour could be offered by the supporters of the practice. It entailed great cruelty on the dog, for in addition to the pain inflicted by the actual cropping, much suffering was caused by the aftermanipulation of the ears, which frequently continued for many weeks, in order to insure the ears being carried as Fashion dictated. Prizes were from time to time offered for the best dogs with uncut ears, but it too frequently happened that a dog having successfully competed for these prizes was taken home and cropped, so that the object of those offering them was not attained. The Kennel Club was for many years urged by those who were desirous of seeing this practice discontinued to take steps to put down cropping, but it was not until 1898 that a rule was introduced prohibiting any dog cropped after a certain date from competing for prizes at shows held under the Club's rules. Naturally, as no attention had been paid to the shape of the ear for so many years-cropping rendering this unnecessarybreeders have found much difficulty in breeding the ear now required; but this is a difficulty which has to a great extent been got over, and one that will be altogether surmounted in course of time.

The subject of the illustration (Fig. 106) was only seven months old when the photograph was taken, and consequently was not "made up," the dog, therefore, appears longer in the body than a Black-and-tan Terrier should.

The following is the Black-and-tan Terrier Club's description of the variety; but the writer does not agree with the definition given of the correct ears in Toys. He considers that the Toy Terrier should be as nearly as possible a fac-simile in miniature of the large Terrier, and that the drop ear is desirable in both, although it is very difficult to obtain a neat drop ear in the Toy variety.

Head.-Long, flat, and narrow, level and wedge-shaped, without showing cheek muscles; well filled up under the eyes, with tapering, tightly lipped jaws and level teeth.

Eyes. Very small, sparkling, and dark, set fairly close together, and oblong in shape.

Nose.-Black.

Ears.-The correct carriage of the ears is a debatable point since cropping has been abolished. Probably in the large breed the drop ear is correct, but for Toys either erect or semi-erect carriage of the ear is most desirable.

Neck and Shoulders.-The neck should be fairly long, and tapering from the shoulders to the head, with sloping shoulders, the neck being free from throatiness, and slightly arched at the occiput.

Chest.-Narrow but deep.

Body.-Moderately short and curving upwards at the loin; ribs well sprung, back slightly arched at the loin and falling again at the joining of the tail to the same height as the shoulders.

Legs.-Must be quite straight, set on well under the dog, and of fair length. Feet. More inclined to be cat- than hare-footed.

Tail.-Moderate length, and set on where the arch of the back ends; thick where it joins the body, tapering to a point, and not carried higher than the back. Coat.-Close, smooth, short, and glossy.

Colour.-Jet black and rich mahogany tan, distributed over the body as follows: On the head the muzzle is tanned to the nose, which, with the nasal bone, is jet black; there is also a bright spot on each cheek, and above each eye, the under jaw and throat are tanned, and the hair inside the ear is of the same colour; the fore legs tanned up to the knee, with black lines (pencil marks) up each toe, and a black mark (thumb mark) above the foot; inside the hind legs tanned, but divided with black at the hock joint; and under the tail also tanned; and so is the vent, but only sufficiently to be easily covered by the tail; also slightly tanned on each side of chest. Tan outside of hind legs-commonly called breeching-is a serious defect. In all cases the black should not run into the tan, or vice versa, but the division between the two colours should be well defined. General Appearance.-A Terrier, calculated to take his own part in the rat pit, and not of the Whippet type.

Weight. For Toys, not exceeding 7lb; for the large breed, from 16lb. to 20lb. is most desirable.

CHAPTER XLVIII

THE WHITE ENGLISH TERRIER

LIKE many other breeds, the White English Terrier has undergone considerable modification since public dog shows came into being. How the modern dog of that name was manufactured one cannot with certainty say. Mr. Fred White, of Clapham, Mr. James Roocroft, Mr. Peter Swindells, and a few other Lancashire fanciers could throw light on the subject; but possibly a small dash of a light-bodied and rather weedy Fox-terrier, and a strong dash of Bull-terrier and Whippet, were some of the ingredients used.

In the early days of exhibitions the White English Terrier was a comparatively thick-headed and a heavier made dog than its modern prototype. The Lancashire breeders appear to have taken the Black-and-tan Terrier as their model, and moulded the White Terrier to his form it was a good line to take, and the idea has been worked out with considerable success, although in many specimens we are still unpleasantly reminded of the Italian Greyhound in the mincing gait, the wheel back, and the hooped tail, that detract from the Terrier character of specimens possessing them.

Among the old show celebrities Mr. Walker's (of Bolton) Old Tim stood high, winning at all the principal shows, and siring many good ones, some of his own name; whilst a host of others were called after him, for, in nomenclature, dog-fanciers are often imitative. Gem, by Old Tim out of Swindell's Empress, was another great success in the ring; and his son Joe, out of Pink, was, like his sire and dam, a great prize-winner-indeed, when the three last named were in one kennel and at their best, they were invincible. When they went off from their best form, Roocroft's (afterwards Mr. Alfred Benjamin's) Sylph and her son Silvio, by Joe, held supreme sway; and Mr. Mather's Vril and his Snow also succeeded in taking premier honours at many shows. These may all be said to be of the same blood, being more or less related; and close inbreeding will still be of advantage in fixing the type it has been the desire to establish.