506 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



The importation of so many first-class specimens by the 

 Chestnut Hill Kennels, of Philadelphia, has been a great 

 assistance to American breeders, and has done much toward 

 raising the breed to its present popularity. I know of no 

 breed that has advanced so rapidly in public favor in 

 America as has the Collie. I am often asked why nothing- 

 has yet been bred in America to equal the best of the 

 imported dogs. The reason is that there are very few 

 really first-class brood bitches in this country. We have 

 some of the best stud dogs in the world, and what we need 

 now is a large number of good brood bitches. Many people 

 seem to attach no importance to the quality or breeding of 

 the bitch, so long as they have a good dog to breed to. In 

 England you will find at least a hundred first-class bitches 

 to one in this country, and this means so many more thor- 

 oughly good puppies. 



There is generally one extra-good one in each well-bred 

 litter, and that one frequently dies before reaching matur- 

 ity. This being the case, it will easily be understood that 

 America can not compete successfully with England in breed- 

 ing ollies until the number of our brood bitches is largely 

 increased by importation. 



The fault to be found with most American -bred Collies 

 is a want of character and "Collie expression." 



The best Collie ever bred in this country was probably 

 Glenlinat, by Strephon, out of Mavis. He was bred by Mr. 

 A. R. Kyle, of Sound Beach, Conn., and was a very fine 

 specimen of the breed. He won first prize at Winsted in 

 1886, and gave considerable promise of making a great name 

 for himself, but was, unfortunately, killed on the railroad by 

 a passing locomotive while he was at exercise. Mavis is 

 one of our few good brood bitches. She is now owned by 

 Mr. James Watson, of Philadelphia, who is one of our best 

 Collie judges. Unfortunately, good Collie judges are, like 

 good Collie brood bitches, rather scarce. 



The most difficult point to produce is a good coat, and 

 in spite of all that has been written to the contrary, there is 

 no danger at present of our breeding Collies with coat so 



