THE BEDLINGTON TERRIER. 409 



the skin, disqualification is liable to follow. Honorable 

 handlers will not, of course, cut or alter the color or texture 

 of so much as a single hair. Whatever there is on the dog 

 must be perfectly natural. Some fanciers, on the other 

 hand, consider the least plucking dishonest, and hold that, 

 if extensively resorted to, it enables a dog with an excess- 

 ively long coat to compete advantageously with a naturally 

 good and short-coated dog. This is no doubt true, and pre- 

 sents the problem commented on as follows in the English 

 Stock-Keeper, October 18, 1889 : 



The disqualifications and severe penalties for trimming that have fallen 

 upon certain kennels, again set us thinking of the necessity that exists for lay- 

 iug down clearly the limits of legitimate hair-dressing in rough-coated Terriers. 

 It is fair to remove old hairs, and nothing more, is the reply received when old 

 exhibitors are asked for an opinion; but between you and me, and let us sub- 

 stitute our conscience for the lamp-post, who is to decide upon the age of the 

 hairs that abound in places which are, in the opinion of the judge, not eligible 

 sites for ground game. Of course, gentle reader, the tiny voice of conscience 

 will be heard in your sensitive ears, ringing like a town-crier's bell; and when 

 it softly tinkles in the presence of the deaf, and somewhat deft as well, who 

 will discern the moral slip of the finger and thumb? 



We are open to conviction in any direction, but our opinion just now is 

 that the present vague condemnation of the art puts a premium on skilled bar- 

 barity. Masters of the art will practice undetected, and parade the ring with 

 pride, while the wretched, but no more guilty, initiate, with the clumsy marks 

 on his breast, will walk round in the fear of the judge. 



In the present stage of the matter, we are inclined to describe the Kennel 

 Club committee's penalties as being rather harsh; but we should be misunder- 

 stood if this opinion were construed into an expression of sympathy with the 

 professional trimmers. Our sympathy is with the honorable and eminent mem- 

 bers of the kennel world who have boldly entered the lists to unseat the knaves 

 of the tonsure; while our inexpressible contempt is reserved for the champions 

 of trimming, and for those who sneered at the motives of the opponents of trim- 

 ming. 



And also, January 3, 1890: 



One of the most trying questions during the year that has just begun 

 will be the great trimming puzzle; for it is a puzzle to know how much the 

 Kennel Club or the judges will stand. The Kennel Club ought to solve the 

 puzzle, of course there is no doubt about that; but the committee fold their 

 hands a- d shrug their shoulders, and say: Non possumm; we have tried. We 

 did issue a circular asking exhibitors for information. The novices and the 

 numskulls replied most copiously, and by return of post; but the rest, who, 

 from having been more than five minutes in the fancy, knew something, 

 proved very bad correspondents. The committee think they have done their 



