punishing power, and the teeth are level in front; the upper ones very slightly overlapping the under ones. (Many of the finest specimens have a "swine-mouth," which is very objectionable; but it is not so great an objection as the protrusion of the under jaw.)

EYES.-Set wide apart, large, full, round, bright, expressive of great determination, intelligence, and dignity; set low and prominent in front of the head; colour, a rich, dark hazel.

EARS. Pendulous, set well back, wide apart, and low on the skull, hanging close to the cheek, with a very slight protection at the base, broad at the junction of the head and tapering almost to a point, the fore part of the ear tapering very little-the tapering being mostly on the back part, the fore part of the ear coming almost straight down from its junction with the head to the tip. They should harmonise in colour with the body colour. In the case of a pepper dog they are covered with a soft, straight, brownish hair, in some cases almost black. In the case of a mustard dog the hair should be mustard in colour, a shade darker than the body, but not black. All should have a thin feather of light hair starting about 2 inches from the tip, and of nearly the same colour and texture as the topknot, which gives the ear the appearance of a distinct point. The animal is often one or two years old before the feather is shown. The cartilage and skin of the ear should not be thick, but rather thin. from 3 to 4 inches.

Length of ear

NECK. Very muscular and well developed, showing great power of resistance, being well set into the shoulders.

BODY.-Long, strong, and flexible; ribs well sprung and round; chest well developed and let well down between the fore legs; the back rather low at the shoulder, having a slight downward curve, and a corresponding arch over the loins, with a very slight, gradual drop from top of loins to root of tail. Both sides of backbone well supplied with muscle.

TAIL.-Rather short, say from 8 inches to 10 inches, and covered on the upper side with wiry hair of darker colour than that of the body; the hair on the under side being lighter in colour, and not so wiry; with a nice feather about 2 inches long, getting shorter as it nears the tip. Rather thick at the root, getting thicker for about 4 inches, then tapering off to a point. It should not be twisted or curled in any way, but should come up with a curve like a scimitar, the tip, when excited, being in a perpendicular line with the root of the tail. It should neither be set on too high nor too low. When not excited it is carried gaily, and a little above the level of the body.

LEGS. The fore legs short, with immense muscular development and bone; legs wide apart, the chest coming well down between them. The feet well formed and not flat, with very strong brown or dark-coloured claws. Bandy legs and flat feet are objectionable. The hair on the fore legs and feet of a pepper dog should be tan, varying, according to the body colour, from a rich tan to a pale fawn; of a mustard dog they are of a darker shade than its head, which is a creamy white. In both colours there is a nice feather, about 2 inches long, rather lighter in colour than the hair on the fore part of the legs. The hind legs are a little longer than the fore ones, and are set rather wide apart, but not spread out in an unnatural manner, while the feet are much smaller. The thighs are well

developed, and the hair of the same colour and texture as the fore ones, but having no feather or dew claws. The whole claws should be dark; but the claws of all vary in shade according to the colour of the dog's body.

COAT. This is very important. The hair should be about 2 inches long; that from the skull to root of tail a mixture of hardish and soft hair, which should give a sort of crisp feel to the hand. The hard should not be wiry. The coat is what is termed pily or pencilled. The hair on the under part of the body is lighter in colour and softer than on the top. The skin on the belly accords with the colour of the dog. COLOUR.-The colour is pepper or mustard. The pepper ranges from dark, bluish black to a light silvery grey, the intermediate shades being preferred; the body colour coming well down the shoulder and hips, merging into the leg colour. The mustards vary from a reddish brown to a pale fawn, the head being a creamy white, the legs and feet of a shade darker than the head. The claws are dark, as in other colours. (Nearly all Dandie Dinmonts have some white on the chest, and some have also white claws.)

SIZE. The height should be from 8 to 11 inches at the top of the shoulder. Length from top of shoulder to root of tail should not be more than twice the dog's height, but, preferably, I or 2 inches less.

WEIGHT. From 14 to 24 lbs. ; the best weight as near 18 lbs. as possible. These weights are for dogs in good working order.

There are four specialist clubs consecrate to the cult of the Dandie Dinmont-namely, the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club, whose Honorary Secretary is Mr. Goodall Copestake, with a membership of nearly eighty, and an annual subscription of half a guinea. The Dandie Dinmont and Scottish Terrier Club of Ireland, with a membership of about forty, and an annual subscription of half a guinea, is under the Honorary

of one another as to size, and no two caused more discussion as to which was the correct stamp. It is the same to-day, only the bitches are in the ascendancy. I should like to see judges handle the terriers more in the ring; examine their coats and teeth, and make them move. It is impossible to see the points of a Bedlington standing still; he loses that peculiar snakey appearance so characteristic of the breed. And his legs and feet do not want judging, as if he were a fox or Irish terrier. Although the Bedlington terrier is often called the "pitman's dog," the expression is not correct, for notwithstanding that the colliery of Bedlington is the place they derived their name from, in the North every old fancier has his own theory as to where they originated from, and will look at young fanciers with a look that will quite wither them if they harbour an opinion different to his own. I do not think there is another breed of dogs over which there is so much disputing as to how they were produced, and where they came from.

MR. P. R. SMITH.-I think more attention ought to be paid to get darker coloured blues, and better coats, which should be short and twisty, but not woolly.

MR. JOHN COOK.-I am not quite satisfied with the type of to-day, especially the blue variety. Texture of coat is getting very bad; far too soft and light in colour. Ears are getting too high on the head, which makes them appear too flat at occiput; and there is not a good dark-eyed one on the bench to-day. should like to see judges study the Standard of Points a little more, and stick to them in their awards. As a rule there is more in and out judging in this variety than in any other I know of.

I

MR. CECIL F. A. COOPER.-The tendency is to breed the dogs too big; 25 lbs. should be an absolute maximum. He wants to be bred more as a terrier and less as a “show variety”; less to head and more to feet, legs, and body. All plucking, faking, colouring, and powdering should be absolutely barred after due notice has been given-not before. Reds should be judged with blues, not separately, and should be valued equally with them. It is a great pity this beautiful breed is so little known and appreciated. The fault lies with dog shows, where he is exhibited as a nondescript "poodle-lap-dog," trimmed and faked until he looks as if he ought to be glued to a board, and lugged round by a child, like a woolly lamb! In fact he looks such a fool that I don't wonder folk do not buy him. But many men cannot afford to keep and breed dogs unless they are able to make a bit out of them, so, unfortunately, shows must exist. It is grossly unfair,

however, to encourage faking of all sorts, and leave it to the private enterprise of some one to exhibit an unfaked dog, and then make wholesale objections to dogs prepared for show in the way that has been customary for twenty years.

MR. WILLIAM MORRIS.-The Bedlington dog is an altered animal from what it was when I knew it first in the days of my youth, when they were never faked, trimmed, or plucked; this has quite changed their appearance. When I see some of the modern dogs I feel they would have little chance with a badger. Many of them now are terribly roach-backed.

The recommendations of the breed are as numerous as in the more popular ones. Thus: "Too much cannot be said in their favour as a sporting dog; they will do as much and a great deal more than any other terriers." -"The best dog' pal'; game, extraordinarily intelligent; able to go all day long and come home merry as a cricket; well able to look after themselves in a scrape, but, in my experience, not quarrelsome."-" The best companion of any breed of terriers; dead game, and good hunters on land or water."- "There is a charm about the breed that is not found in any other; you can make him a house - dog, a gun-dog, a rat-dog, a badger-dog, or, if needed, he will bolt a fox for you. He will learn to do anything that a dog of his size can do. A most useful terrier for using with otterhounds or foxhounds."

Apart from the ideal show specimen (writes Mr. Harold Warnes), the Bedlington's claims as a social companion cannot be too prominently advocated. After all it is not so much a dog's appearance that attracts one as his "winning ways." I had an old favourite, with a long shaggy coat, and not a single show point, who was my constant companion for ten years. When I was in the house he always ascertained which room I was in (not being allowed indoors himself), and would sit outside the window so long as I was there, and if I went to another part of the house seemed to anticipate to what part I was bound, and on entering another room I would find him planted, in advance, outside its window. If I went out by the back-door, he was there to receive

This differs from the old scale, which was, I believe, originally advocated by the Airedale Terrier Club, to wit: Head, ears, eyes, and mouth, 20; neck, shoulders, and chest, 10; body, 10; hindquarters and stern, 5; legs and feet, 15; coat, 15; colour, 10; general character and expression, 15-total, 100.

The chief disqualifications comprise a Dudley nose, white on throat, face, or feet (on other parts of the body objectionable), an uneven mouth, and being either undershot or overshot.

Amongst the most typical Airedale terriers of the day the names are mentioned of Champions Tone Masterpiece, Master Briar, Clonmel Monarch, Dumbarton Sceptre, and others, and I have selected the first named for illustration.

Ch. Tone Masterpiece is the property of Mr. C. H. Elder, and was bred by Mr. J. Turner, by Ch. Master Briar ex Houston Nell, and was born in September 1899. He is a black and tan dog of correct type, with small, dark eyes; well placed, small ears, correct high carriage; straight coat of hard texture; beautiful body, well sprung ribs; best of legs and feet, and very stylish and full of terrier character. In the illustration he is seen straining at his lead, which does injustice to his feet, which are perfect; he stands right up on his toes. He has won eleven championships, eight of them in 1903 under eight different judges, and innumerable first prizes, not having once sustained defeat in that year. He is the sire of Ch. Dumbarton Sceptre, and other winners.