The Smooth-coated Colley. 207 



Mr. Thomson had his dog Guelt and another from the same litter direct 

 from their breeder, Mr. Craig, of Glen, and one of them was a very rough- 

 coated one. 



Some shepherds prefer these to the long-coated, as they do not get 

 matted with snow, and their coat is so dense as to prove a sufficient 

 protection against the weather. 



The mottled, marbled, mirled, or Harlequin variety are nearly always 

 smooth-coated and also " china-eyed;" Mr. Howard Mapplebeck's well- 

 known bitch Fan is an exception in the last particular, but I look upon it 

 as a defect in her, so characteristic of the breed is the china eye 

 indeed, in many specimens both eyes are of this kind. 



Of late we have had very good classes of smooth-coated colleys shown, 

 they being especially numerous in the north of England. The best 

 before the public is, I consider, Mr. W. W. Thomson's Yarrow (facile 

 princeps). She is small, but judged by points can give all her opponents 

 ten points and beat them easily. As I bought the bitch in Scotland, and 

 after winning with her sold her to Mr. Thomson, it may be thought I am 

 slightly prejudiced in her favour ; but it is not so ; on deliberate 

 judgment and careful comparison, I think her the best ever shown. 

 Next to her I would place Mr. Swinburne's Lassie. Both of these bitches 

 are black, white, and tan. 



Mr. Thomson has also excellent dogs in Guelt and Hawk, and a mirled 

 dog with two china eyes, bred on Salisbury Plain. Mr. Wilson's Meg, 

 Mr. W. H. Charles's Scott, and Mr. M. C. Ashwin's Nellie are also in 

 the front rank. There is a scarcity of good smooth-coated sires. 



I have omitted to notice that the Harlequin or mottled dog is often 

 termed the Welch " heeler." The variety is, I believe, rather popular in 

 Wales, but it is by no means confined to the Principality, but found 

 scattered all over the United Kingdom. 



In judging smooth colleys ten points only need be allowed for coat, the 

 ten points deducted being given for symmetry and general appearance. 



