254 British Dogs. 



mastiff. The dimensions are extended chiefly in height and length, the 

 occipital protuberance being specially marked, and, coupled with the 

 height of brow, serving also to distinguish it from the Newfoundland. 

 The face is long, and cut off square at the nose, which is intermediate in 

 width between those of the Newfoundland and mastiff. Lips pendulous, 

 approaching in character to the bloodhound type, but much smaller. 

 Ears of medium size, carried close to the cheeks, and covered with silky 

 hair. Eyes full in size, but deeply sunk, and showing the haw, which is 

 often as red as that of the bloodhound. 



" Line of poll. As remarked above, great stress is laid by the monks 

 on this marking, which is supposed to resemble the white lace bands 

 round the neck and waist of the gown worn by the Benedictine monks, 

 the two being connected by a strip carried up the back. A dog marked 

 with white in the same manner is supposed to be peculiarly consecrated 

 to his work, and is kept most carefully to it. Hence it is in this country 

 also regarded as a characteristic of the breed, but it is seldom met with 

 in anything like a perfect state of development ; Monarque being more 

 perfect in this respect than any dog ever exhibited. 



"Shape of body and neck. There is nothing remarkable about the 

 neck, except that there is generally a certain amount of throatiness, to 

 which there is no objection. The body ought to be well proportioned, 

 with a full chest, the girth of which should be double that of the head, 

 and half the length of the body from nose to tip of tail ; the loin should 

 be full and the hips wide. 



" In size and symmetry this breed should be up to a full standard, 

 that is to say, equal to the English mastiff. Indeed, excepting in colour, 

 in the dewclaws, and in the shape of head, the smooth St. Bernard very 

 closely resembles that dog. He is generally more active in his move- 

 ments, from having been more worked than his English compeer, who for 

 generations has been kept on the chain. 



" Legs and feet. Of course, in so large a dog the legs must be straight 

 and strong, while the feet also must be large, in order to avoid sinking 

 through the snow. The last point is greatly insisted on by the monks, 

 who prefer even what would be considered here a splay foot to a small 

 and compact one. 



"Dewclaws. There is no doubt that the double dewclaw on the hind 

 legs has in some way been introduced into the strain of dogs used at the 



