The Bob-tailed Sheepdog. 209 



must, I think, be rare ; at least, the vast majority of those I hare met 

 with are black and white, grey or grizzled ; and in attending shows for so 

 many years a large number have come under my notice. 



In appearance they differ very widely from the elegant colley square 

 built, short backed, bull necked, and with a rounder head and truncated 

 muzzle. The coat is long and shaggy, more or less curly in some 

 instances, but much better when straight. The face, unlike the colley, 

 is always more or less rough that is, bearded. 



This breed I have seen in greatest numbers in the West of England, 

 and at the Devon shows there have been exhibited the best I have met 

 with. 



Occasionally specimens with long tails are met with, of which Mr. 

 P. W. Parry's Help is wonderfully good. "Stonehenge " also makes 

 the, to me, singular statement respecting this breed that " he has the 

 peculiar habit of running over the backs of sheep when in flock in 

 order to head them, and on that account is highly valued in fairs and 

 markets." 



This habit is not at all peculiar to the bob-tails. Any colley that is 

 up to its business will do so when occasion requires it, as everyone must 

 have observed who has attended a sheep fair or market, and this, among 

 other reasons, is why a light nimble dog is to be preferred to a heavy 

 one, which it may be as well to notice, for there are evidences of a 

 tendency in some of our judges to go in for large dogs. The object 

 should be to encourage dogs of the size best suited for the performance 

 of their natural work, and although a large dog may have a grander and 

 more imposing appearance, and for that reason be preferred as an orna- 

 mental companion, excessive size is a disadvantage, and by judges should 

 be viewed as such. 



