The Black Curly-Coated Retriever. 165 



my opinion, a model retriever. She is a nice size, well built, without waste 

 or coarseness, well ribbed, with excellent back and loins, a good tshest, 

 and legs that are simply faultless ; her coat, too, is first-rate, and even 

 her tail to its end, both upper and under side, is thickly covered with 

 small perfect curls. 



Mr. How's Toby has been before the public since 1874, when ho 

 began what has proved to be an extraordinary successful career by 

 taking first at both the Nottingham and the Birmingham shows. He was 

 described in the "Country" report of Brighton Show, 1876, in these 

 terms : " His head is nearly faultless ; he is good in limbs, well formed in 

 body, and seems just made for his business, being neither too light for 

 hard work nor too clumsy to clear a dyke or a gate with a hare in his 

 mouth, and to this I may add that his coat is very good." 



The value of the points differs from the wavy-coated as follows : 



In the head the skull is less wide thoughout and the muzzle rather 

 narrower at the nose. 



The coat is entirely different, consisting of short crisp curls all over 

 the body and tail ; the face covered with short smooth hair there must 

 be no topknot. The eye should be hazel brown or darker, a yellow eye 

 which we have seen in otherwise good specimens mars the appearance of 

 the dog and is very objectionable. 



The tail should be thick at the root and tapering to a fine point, carried 

 straight and stiffly and covered with small curls, not feathered or bushy ; 

 but many good dogs of the breed have this fault. 



The colour must be all black, but a small white spot on the chest 

 ought not to disqualify. 



With the exception of coat and the fact that the muzzle is narrower, the 

 points of the wavy-coated apply to this ; the face, forehead, and 

 muzzle is covered with short hair only, the curls beginning from the 

 occiput, and they should be free from any trace of the Irish spaniel top- 

 knot. There should be entire freedom from flew, and a yellow or light 

 eye is objectionable. 



In all retrievers temper and tractability are to be considered, but 

 indications of the first only can be seen in the show ring, and to test 

 their ability in seeking and retrieving, in which a good nose, with per- 

 severance, pluck, and a soft mouth, are requisite, we must see him in the 

 field. 



