1 60 British Dogs. 



legs," pointing out 'that the brindled legs were indicative of the Labrador, 

 to which breed we owe many of the best qualities the wavy-coated 

 retriever possesses ; but in the present day a black and tan or a brindled- 

 legged dog would stand no chance in competition, however good, because 

 the self-coloured dogs have been brought to such perfection that they 

 would equal, if they did not excel, the marked one in all points, and 

 possess the desired jet black colour in addition, having thereby something 

 in hand to win with over their handicapped competitors. One of the best 

 working retrievers I ever saw in my life was a black and tan dog, the 

 property of Mr. Gavin Lindsay, The Holm, Sanquhar, and in point of 

 symmetry and good looks fit to compete with anything I ever saw ex- 

 hibited, but that his markings would throw him out. These tan mark- 

 ings are, no doubt, got from the Gordon setter, and are easily enough 

 bred out. 



Perhaps the sires that have exercised most influence in stamping- the 

 character of the present generation of retrievers under discussion are 

 the two Wyndhams, the one the property of that well known and successful 

 breeder, Mr. J. D. Gorse, the younger dog owned by Mr. T. Meyrick, M.P., 

 the latter dog much used by that other most successful of retriever breeders, 

 the late JohnD. Hull; Paris, owned by Mr. S. E. Shirley, M.P., and bred 

 from imported Labrador parents ; Major Allison's Victor, and Mr. 

 Chattock's Cato, both without known pedigree. Dr. Bond Moore paid 

 considerable attention to this breed some years ago, his kennels were 

 principally of Hull's strain, and he had some remarkably fine specimens. 

 I remember seeing a litter of Midnight's, if I mistake not, in Dr. Bond 

 Moore's kennels, in which were two fine pups of a pale liver colour, 

 although both parents and grand parents were jet black. 



The strains of the various breeders are now getting pretty well 

 commingled, and Mr. Shirley, who I consider is now the foremost of 

 retriever breeders, has in his the blood of nearly all the old notabilities 

 in conjunction with his own special Paris and Lady Evelyn strain. 



The coat has undergone very considerable modifications in this strain. 

 In old Wyndham (Meyrick's), the wave became a ripple almost a 

 surge over the hips ; and a grandson of his that I now own, and who 

 greatly resembles Wyndham in other respects, has this peculiarity in a 

 very marked degree. Now, however, we have many with coats as flat 

 almost as that of a smooth-coated dog, which I think an excess in the 



