The Mastiff. 245 



As to his modern uses, he is still pow excellence the watch dog of 



England, 



Whose honest bark 

 Bays deep-mouthed welcome as we draw near home. 



He is the gamekeeper's best companion and preserver from night 

 marauders, and for this purpose a dark brindled dog is preferable to a 

 fallow, not being so easily seen at night, and to these arduous duties have 

 been added the lighter ones of companion to ladies and gentlemen, and 

 the occasional display of his regal canine magnificence on the show bench. 



I have mentioned the faults of temper in dealing with the general 

 character. I will now point out the faults in outward appearance most 

 often met with. These are, first, I think, the ungainliness of motion 

 caused by weak legs, particularly shown in the knee joints and the develop- 

 ment of cow hocks ; with this there is generally flat, lean, wasted hams, 

 and sometimes light, weak loins, and all these or the cow hocks alone give 

 a shambling gait that is most objectionable. These defects are often 

 caused by bad rearing, inferior or insufficient food, want of room or 

 dampness in the kennel. The faults alluded to are very common, and 

 it should be the endeavour of breeders and also of judges to get rid of 

 them the latter by refusing prizes to all dogs that show the faults, and 

 the former by judicious selection and careful rearing. 



The points of the mastiff are as follows : 



The head should be large as a whole, square, skull flat, with great 

 girth before the ears, forehead broad and flat, face may be slightly 

 "wrinkled. 



The muzzle is black in colour, square and broad, neither so deep nor so 

 narrow as in the bloodhound, with fairly deep flews, but not the chop of 

 the bulldog ; under jaw may slightly protrude, but it is better the teeth 

 should meet evenly. 



The eyes are small and intelligent, mild in expression, not sunk in the 

 head, nor showing the haw as in the bloodhound. 



The ears are small, pendant, and thin, and lying close to the cheek, 

 black in colour in the fawns. 



The neck should be thick and muscular, and should not have a super- 

 abundance of loose skin. 



The chest should be deep and broad, back of fair length, but strong, 

 loins muscular, the back ribs well developed; a cut-up flank, as is often 

 seen in very long-bodied dogs, is very objectionable. 



