418 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



approaches him, putting on "side" and airs, Sporter immediately stiffens up 

 visibly, his tail assumes a defiant angle above the horizontal, his ears are cocked 

 forward alertly, and there is an ominous twitching of his upper lips which says, 

 as plain as looks can speak, " Lave me alone, ye spalpeen." Should his warning 

 not be accepted, a scrimmage ensues, which I speedily terminate by whipping 

 him up under my arm by his tail and marching him off. En passant, I recom- 

 mend this as a very effectual and safe manner of putting a stop to a canine 

 melee. " Hitting off" Irish Terriers when fighting I have found useless; they 

 think the pain comes from their opponent, and this only serves to rouse them 

 to fresh efforts. 



This description, although, written several years ago, is 

 still held to be correct, and nothing need be added to it. 



All that the Irish Terrier breeders now have to bewail 

 (and the Irish always have a grievance of some kind), is 

 the want of judges who will adhere to some one type. I 

 was told not long since, by one of the most prominent 

 exhibitors in England, that all he needed to know before 

 exhibiting at a show, in order to take a prize, was the name 

 of the judge, and that he could then choose from his ken- 

 nel the dog that would be sure to win. This must be very 

 nearly correct, as I see his name often, and always among 

 the first flight. This is not right; and as the Irish Terrier 

 CJub has adopted a standard, which is accepted by all the 

 most prominent breeders, it ought to be adhered to. The 

 standard being established, all that is necessary is for 

 judges to abide by it, and disqualify all dogs that go over 

 the recognized weight of twenty-four pounds. If this were 

 done, and the cropping question permanently disposed of, 

 there would then be a bright future for the Irish Terrier 

 and his breeder. The Irish Terrier now stands third or 

 fourth in numbers at all shows in England and Ireland, 

 being outnumbered only by Fox Terriers, Collies, and St. 

 Bernards. This is a good showing, considering how short 

 a time the modern Irish Terrier has been before the public. 



The illustrations which accompany this article are for 

 the information of breeders and the public. Norah 

 represents the old type. She is built on the lines of the 

 Irish Wolfhound, and her weight was twenty-two pounds 

 when in condition. The same model could have carried 

 very well thirty to forty pounds; but her day is past, and 



