unknown and the type had nothing of the Jack Spratt about it.

This dog, Nigger, now better known as Surprise, attracted, however, the attention of the judge, and its black coat, tightly curled tail, coupled with a smart carriage, quite overbalanced his somewhat long, terrier-like face, and placed him first in the open class for dogs, in which there were twelve entries. The other dogs shown, the true lineal descendants of Jack Spratt were so shy as to render themselves ridiculously unassertive, their tails dangling under their bodies, so they were quite out of the running. Nap II., however, was consoled by winning the first stud medal ever given to a black pug, he being awarded one of the two bronze medals offered by the Crystal Palace for stud pugs. These two wellfilled classes of odd-looking, but remarkably handsome, jet black pugs created considerable attention, and since that time classes have been provided for them at our leading exhibitions. Such is all that is known as to the history of the black pug.

says that

I have already alluded to their breeding true to type, and Miss "Mortivals" that "two of the original pair, Nap II. and Black Bess, never produced any puppies but black ones, which had usually a small white mark on their chests, and some of them had white on their toes, others on

their under lip. A fawn bitch mated with Nap invariably threw half the litter wholly black, the others very clear coated-never fawns-with dense markings. I found the breeding difficult, so about eighteen months ago I made up my mind to breed out for fresh blood, and accordingly purchased a first-class fawn bitch, combining the blood of Loris, Stately, and Diamond, and mated her with Nap II. At the same time I sent out a black daughter of Nap's to the fawn dog Confidence.

"From these alliances have been produced puppies either entirely black or entirely silver fawn, and not so mixed in coat as the show dogs of two fawn ancestors. Never yet has there appeared anything curious in the breeding, the sole reason for introducing the fresh blood being to make the blacks more like the fawns in quality, in shortness of face, better in body and lower in the leg. The issue from the Nap II., Loris, and Confidence alliances or blend, retains the colour, but have better coats, thicker in texture than that of the old blacks, and more inclined to ruffle, while the domed head is disappearing and giving place to wrinkle; sturdy limbs are supplanting the long taper legs of the original blacks, and the nose, instead of having a downward tendency, is becoming more snub.

"From the two cross alliances six puppies came,

four of which were dense black, one pure silver, and one silver fawn of the loveliest colour possible. The coats and 'pug points' were much improved, and with one exception all had excellent jackets, characteristic of the fawn pug (the black had nearly always bad coats), and with loose skins. One of the strange things in this cross is that whole colours usually appear, and that black and fawn or tri-coloured puppies have not yet been born."

Mrs. Fifield and Miss "Mortivals" both accord the black pugs excellent characters. They say they are hardier than the fawn, especially when past puppyhood, and even when young they are not much trouble to rear. Oily food suits them best, and Miss "Mortivals " gives hers linseed once a week, it improving their coats and making them appear smarter and cleanlier than they would without it.

Mrs. Fifield writes that "the black pugs differ materially from the fawns; firstly they are not so susceptible to cold. The prettiest sight I remember was seeing the delight of an exquisite litter of black puppies in their first snowstorm; they simply revelled in it. They are much more tenacious in affection, for, while the fawns freely make friends, no enticements will induce the blacks to leave their owners, and, although very timid, they are wonderfully intelligent and easily learn tricks. They are cleanly

A

in their habits, but, whilst the fawns are proverbially greedy, the blacks are extremely dainty feeders. combination of such excellent traits makes them the most perfect companions ladies can possibly wish for."

I think I have produced sufficient evidence to satisfy carpers that no wrong has been done in introducing in this volume the Black Pug as a distinct variety. The evidence of those who keep him proves this, not only because the blacks are, even in disposition, unlike the fawns, but because the former breed equally true to type as the latter.

So far as the points and description are concerned, excepting in colour the two should be alike, but whether by introducing the "fawn" strain one or two of the distinguishing traits in the blacks may be ultimately lost is a question upon which there may be two opinions. The blacker the black pug is the better; he should be free from white, and any brown or bronze tinge is a very severe handicap when being judged in the ring.