THE IRISH TERRIER. 417 



existence of the breed at a very remote period." In old pictures representing 

 scenes of Irish life, an Irish Terrier or two are often to be descried. Bally - 

 mena and County Wicklow may almost claim to be the birthplaces of the 

 breed. Most of the best specimens hail from Ballymena and the neighbor- 

 hood, where Mr. Thomas Erwin, of Irish Setter fame, boasts an extensive 

 experience of this breed,' and has always kept a few of the right old working 

 sort for sporting purposes; and "in County Wicklow," Mr. Merry says, " it is 

 well known that the pure breed of Irish Terriers has been carefully kept dis- 

 tinct and highly prized for more than a century." Mr. E. F. Despard, whose 

 name is well known in Irish Terrier circles as a very successful breeder and 

 exhibitor, claims an acquaintance of over forty years with the breed. Mr. 

 George Jamison, too, has known and kept them many years, and up till a little 

 while ago had won more prizes than all the rest of the breeders put together. 

 I mention these proofs of the age of the breed to show those who have lately 

 come to admire them that it is not a made up, composite, or mushroom breed. 

 They are part of Ireland's national economy, and are worthily embodied in the 

 sportsman's toast "Irish women, Irish horses, and Irish dogs" (which means 

 Irish Terriers, Setters, and Spaniels). 



One's first acquaintance with this "prehistoric Terrier" is apt to be dis- 

 appointing, except to a really " doggy" Terrier man. That is because there is 

 no meretricious flash about them; but there is that about them which you 

 learn to like they grow upon you. They supply the want so often expressed 

 for "a smart-looking dog with something in him." There is that about their 

 rough-and-ready appearance which can only be described as genuine Terrier, or 

 more emphatically, ' ' Terrier character." They are facile princeps the sportsman 's 

 Terrier; and having never yet been made fashion's darlings, still retain in all its 

 purity their instinctive love of hard work. Their characters do not suit them 

 for ladies' pets, but render them the best dogs out for the man that loves his 

 gun and quiet sport. 



Amongst those wise old fellows that one comes across in the country, who 

 like a dog with something in him, and a " Terrier," of course, the Irishman is 

 prime favorite. And they know what they are about, those old fellows, and 

 are sportsmen, too, in their own sort of way, when the sun has gone down. 

 This reminds me of a discreditable fact in the history of Irish Terriers, that they 

 were not always only "the poor man's sentinel," but oftentimes something 

 more, when by the aid of their marvelous noses and long legs they, when the 

 shades of night had fallen, provided the pot with that which gave forth the 

 savory smell and imparted a flavor to the "spuds." This, however, if it 

 injured their moral principles, certainly sustained their love and capability for 

 rabbiting In olden times, too, the larger sizes were bred and used for right- 

 ing, and there is still a dash of the old fighting blood in their descendants. 

 They dearly love a mill, and though it would be calumny to say they are quar- 

 relsome, yet it must be admitted that the male portion of the breed are perhaps 

 a little too ready to resent any attempt at interfering with their coats; but are 

 they not Irish, and when did an Irishman shirk a shindy? My dog Sporter is 

 very true to character in this respect. Small dogs, or even those of his own 

 size, he never deigns to notice; but if some large specimen of the genus Cants 

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