This
however, is not a natural state of things, and is only brought about by the greatest care and attention, in order to gain success on the show bench. This abun- SKYE TERRIER. dance of coat would soon disappear if the animal were called upon to do any work.
As mentioned in connection with the Scottish terrier, which was probably the original Skye terrier, these dogs with very long coats are comparatively a modern production, but there is a family of terriers in Scotland which has the characteristics of the one under consideration without the superfluity of hair.
The West Highland White Terrier.- This is a variety granted registration in 1905 mainly through the efforts of Colonel Malcolm of Poltalloch, by whose family the breed had been kept for more than sixty WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER. years, and had become widely known as Poltalloch terriers. They are white, are game, hardy-looking terriers of from 12 lbs. to 18 lbs. in weight, and very strongly built on the lines of the better-known Scottish DOGS] terrier, though differing from the lastnamed in expression, the eyes being full and bright and not "sunk." Well supported classes are to be seen at most of the leading shows, and the breed is undoubtedly popular among lovers of a really sporting terrier. existed in the Principality for upwards of a century.
FRED GRESHAM.
The Welsh Terrier. - The Welsh Terrier is quite a recent introduction, for twenty years ago it had scarcely ever been heard of outside the Principality. However, when once he made his appearance he quickly found friends, and is now one of the most popular terriers we have. In appearance he has very much altered since a club was formed to look after his interests in 1886, for from a short-headed cobby dog with large eyes he has been transformed into a smart terrier built much on the lines of the "old English black-and-tan terrier" that has existed in England for many years, WELSH TERRIER. but which, since the advent of the Welsh terrier, has almost become extinct. In fact, it is probable that the Welshman owes much of its improvement to the English dog which it has supplanted, for when classes were first made for it at the Birmingham and other shows, several of the winners were old English black-and-tan terriers, pure and simple; and when the Kennel Club gave it an entry in the Stud Book, the classification was for Welsh, or old English wire-haired, black-and-tan terriers. This arrangement did not suit the admirers of either variety, and separate clubs formed for each, that for the Welsh with success, the other proving a failure. The result was that two years later the members of the Welsh Terrier Club succeeded in persuading the Kennel Club to remove the name of the old English terrier altogether from its connection with the Welsh terrier.
There is not wanting proof, however, that a terrier, of the description of those that were first introduced as Welsh terriers, has were There are several other Families of Terriers which, if they cannot claim, like the foregoing, to be of any recognised variety, have yet proved themselves excellent for sport. In fact, in almost every district one hears of some terrier or other which has made its name famous in connection with the badger, fox, and otter. These surely deserve some notice, when it is considered that they more generally than not are covered with scars which tell of hardships that they have endured, of sharp encounters in which gameness alone has saved them from premature death. There is the Sealy Ham terrier, so called from the seat near Haverfordwest of the Edwardses, in whose family, it is said, the variety has been kept for nearly a hundred years. These are short-legged and longbodied, not unlike the wire-haired fox terrier as regards colour, coat, and character of head, but more sturdy, and weighing rather under than over 18 lbs. The late Captain Edwards is said to have been particularly proud of the working capabilities of his dogs, frequently tried with badgers, otters, foxes, and polecats. Perhaps more interesting are the Border terriers, which are met with in Northumberland, and other of the northern counties, and for which is claimed an earlier existence than the Dandie Dinmont and Bedlington terriers, which also hailed from the same locality. They obtain their name of Border terriers from the fact that they were frequently used and bred in the country hunted by the Border foxhounds. The favourite colour for them is red, or black and tan. The services of these terriers, which follow hounds regularly, are often called into use, and they are sent into most dangerous places amongst rocks and peat moss drains, from which they sometimes do not return, so determined are they in the pursuit of their quarry. At Bovingdon, near Hemel Hempstead, Mr. J. H. B. Cowley has a valuable strain of terriers, short-legged and longbodied, marked like our fox terriers, but, unlike the latter, kept entirely for work.
They excel in going to ground after fox or badger, in which business they are mostly employed.
RAWDON B. LEE.
OTHER VARIETIES.
Whippet. This is a dog originally produced by crossing with a terrier and greyhound, sometimes with the Italian grey- II2 hound. It is now a distinct variety, which breeds true to type, and in fact is a "pocket edition" of the ordinary greyhound. He may weigh anything between IO lbs. and 25 lbs., not larger than the latter weight, and any colour is allowable. The Whippet is much in request by the lower middle classes for running purposes, either to. course rabbits, or to take part in short distance races, the usual course being 200 yards. The competitors are handicapped according to their height or weight. A dog 20 lbs. weight has been known to cover the full distance of 200 yards in 12/2 seconds.
The sport is very popular in Lancashire, Yorkshire, and in the north of England, but the attempts to bring it into prominence in the southern counties have not been altogether successful. The competitors run on a cinder path, and are started by a pistol.
On the mark they are held by a friend of the trainer; the latter runs in front of the dog up the course dangling a pigeon's wing, WHIPPET. a towel, or anything attractive to encourage the dog; and the judge at the goal decides each race promptly and expeditiously.
In coursing matches rabbits are used, twentyone or thirty-one trials being run, the kill only scoring. In the large handicaps of this kind each dog runs from three to five rabbits with his opponent, and it will be seen that stamina as well as pace is required in a Whippet to be a champion at rabbit coursing. In some districts the Whippet is known as the Snap Dog.
There are several other varieties of sporting dogs that have been imported into England, which, although used in their native countries with the gun or for hunting purposes, have very little or no vocation here. One of the most prominent of these is the Basset Hound, which the late Sir Everett Millais, Bart., was instrumental in introducing into the country. The Basset is hound-marked, very low on the legs for the side and length of his body, and he is somewhat like the bloodhound in head and [DOGS ears. The chest comes well down between the forelegs, which are heavy in bone, and incline inwards from the elbow joint to the fetlock and then outwards to the end of BASSET HOUNDS. the toes. He has the appearance of a goodsized hound on very short legs. When used for hunting they go in packs, the followers being on foot. The Basset has a capital nose, and a rich, full cry, but it takes a pack some time to pull down a hare, occasionally from two to three hours, and then it must be in an open and fairly flat country, where there are no large fences nor stone walls. There are two varieties known in this country, the smooth, the more popular, and the rough or wire-haired, known as the Basset-Griffon.
The Dachshund is a native of Germany, where he does the work of a terrier, and is particularly good at going to ground to fox or badger. He is said to resemble the old