THE IRISH TERRIER. 419 



the Irish Terrier of to-day is modeled after the second 

 illustration, which represents a dog that weighed about 

 twenty pounds. From his shape and build it is clearly im- 

 possible that a dog of his type would be of any use at much 

 over that weight, being lower on legs and shorter ribbed; 

 if he were heavy, he could not get over the ground as easily 

 as a lighter-built dog. 



Perhaps the best all-round dog that has been before the 

 public lately is Playday, whose death we have lately 

 seen recorded. He was the lirst uncropped dog that was 

 ever awarded a prize, and was successful under almost all 

 the judges at the English shows. He is proving himself a 

 typical dog, although as an immediate sire he has not 

 made a good record; but his grandsons and granddaughters 

 are coming well to the front. 



There is one point that can not be passed over in favor 

 of the Irish Terrier, and that is his ability to adapt himself 

 to any climate or any surroundings. In this respect, he is 

 a long way ahead of either the Fox Terrier or the Scotch 

 Terrier. He is daily in request for India, China, and the 

 antipodes, where the other breeds fail to acclimatize. He 

 is just as happy in the closed-up den of the peasant as he 

 is in the kennel of the millionaire. He is, par excellence, 

 the dog of the people. 



In this connection, the notes of Mr. Ridgway and Mr. 

 Jamison, both prominent Irish fanciers of the breed in 

 question, are well worthy of study, and are given below, as 

 well as the scale of points which has been adopted by the 

 Irish Terrier Club, and is now accepted by all breeders. 



Mr. Ridgway says : 



That the Irish Terrier is and has been a pure breed of dogs indigenous to 

 Ireland, is a fact undoubted, and undisputed by the oldest fanciers and breeders 

 still living, who can well remember the dog fifty or sixty years ago, and at a 

 time before the introduction to this country of the Skye, Yorkshire, or English 

 Bull Terrier, now so fashionable in many parts. 



No doubt this breed has of late years been allowed to degenerate sadly, 

 from want of proper interest having been taken in it; but notwithstanding this, 

 we can still bring forward specimens of our Irish Terriers, such as have been 

 seen at several of our leading Irish shows, which for usefulness, intelli- 



