



The Bulldog. 235 



proportion to the hind legs, but not so short as to make the back appear 

 long, or to detract from the dog's activity and so cripple him. The 

 elbows should be low and stand well away from the ribs. The ankles, 

 or pasterns, should be short, straight, and strong. The fore feet should 

 be straight, and turn very slightly inwards ; they should be of medium 

 size, and moderately round. The toes short, compact, and thick, being 

 well split up, making the knuckles prominent and high. 



"15. Hind 'Legs. The hind legs should be large and muscular, and 

 longer in proportion than the fore legs, so as to elevate the loins. The 

 hocks should be very slightly bent and well let down, so as to be long and 

 muscular from the loins to the point of the hock. The lower part of the 

 leg should be short, straight, and strong. The stifles should be round, 

 and turn slightly outwards away from the body. The hocks are thereby 

 made to approach each other, and the hind feet to turn outwards. The 

 latter, like the fore feet, should be round and compact, with the toes short, 

 well split up and the knuckles prominent. From his formation, the dog 

 has a peculiar heavy, slouching, and constrained gait, appearing to walk 

 with short quick steps on the tips of his toes, his hind feet not be lifted 

 high, but appearing to skim the ground, and often running with the one 

 shoulder rather advanced, similar to the manner of a horse in cantering. 



"16. Size. The most desirable size for the bulldog, and at which 

 excellence is mostly attained, is about 501b. 



" 17. Coat and Colour. The coat should be fine in texture, short, close, 

 and smooth (hard only from its shortness and closeness, not wiry or 

 woolly). The colour should be whole or smut, that is, a whole colour 

 with a black mask or muzzle. It should be brilliant and pure 

 of its sort. As 'a good horse cannot be of a bad colour,' the same 

 may be said of the dog if perfect in other points. The colours, in their 

 order of merit, if bright and pure, are, first smuts, and whole brindles, 

 reds, white, with their varieties, as whole fawns, fallows, &c. ; second, 

 pied and mixed colours. Black, which was once most esteemed, is now 

 considered undesirable." 



Overleaf I give a table of the points by which bulldogs were to be 

 judged by the Bulldog Club, and a copy of the form which should be 

 used by the judge. 



