1 84 British Dogs. 



electing men who would pledge themselves beforehand. I never could 

 believe in that danger, but the objection only applied to the proposition 

 that exhibitors should both nominate and elect. 



My proposition is, to some extent, a compromise. The committee to 

 name thirty instead of ten men of whom they approve, and the exhibitors 

 to select from them. The plan has this further advantage, that exhibitors 

 approving of none of the three nominated in their section instead of 

 voting, might name three in the order in which they would like them 

 nominated for future shows, and this would be to some extent an index 

 of the public wishes for the Kennel Club. 



CHAPTER XL. JUDGING BY POINTS. 



THE newest and most brilliant luminary in canine literature, before 

 whom all past and present dealers in doggy lore must, sooner or later, 

 pale their ineffectual fires, is Mr. Vero Shaw, and he says, in his " Pen 

 and Ink Sketches," that on the subject of judging by points I am what 

 he terms "immense," but that rumour says it is not from conviction, 

 but obstinacy, that I adhere to this " unclean thing." 



Rumour and Mr. Shaw are both mistaken. My friend Mr. Shaw has 

 written a book all about dogs, and I particularly admire that portion 

 of it in which is described the several "points" of each breed and the 

 numerical value put upon them. 



Now, I conceive that it is utterly impossible for any sane writer to so 

 minutely assess the value of each individual point and express it in those 

 dreadfully matter-of fact things, figures, if he did not intend them to be 

 used, and this is what Mr. Shaw does " one for his knob, two for his 

 heels " everything has an exact value, be it the chop of the bulldog or 

 the tail of the pug, you are told it to a fraction ; and, therefore, believing 

 my friend to be sane, I claim him on my side that is, in favour of 

 judging by points. 



Another strong opponent of the system has also committed himself, 

 although not so deeply. I refer to Mr. S. E. Shirley, M.P., chairman of 



