332 British Dogs. 



perfect ears, if they have been equally skilfully manipulated. The 

 natural ear is of three kinds the button or drop ear, like the fox 

 terrier ; the rose ear, that is half folded back, so that the interior of the 

 ear can be partially seen ; and the prick or tulip ear. But I have never 

 seen the last-named kind, except in coarse specimens. The leather of 

 the ear is thin, and generally finest in the best bred dogs. 



The neck must be light and airy, well proportioned to the head, and 

 gradually swelling towards the shoulders ; there should be no loose 

 skin or throatiness. The shoulders are not so muscular as in some 

 breeds, but nicely sloping. 



The chest must be deep, but not wide; the latter would indicate a 

 bull cross, which would also be shown in the head and other points. The 

 body is short, the ribs rather deep than round, the back ones pretty 

 well let down. 



The loins are strong and muscular ; with this formation there is an 

 absence of the cut-up flank which the whippet and Italian greyhound 

 crosses give. 



The legs are straight, light of bone, clean as a racehorse's, and the feet 

 long, with the toes well arched, and the claws jet black. 



The coat must be short and close ; it should look fine and glossy, but 

 not soft in texture. 



The colour and markings are in this breed which is now essentially 

 a fancy dog important. No other colour than black and tan or red is 

 permissible, the least speck of white is fatal to winning chances, and it is 

 in the richness, contrast, and correct distribution of these that excellence 

 consists. The black should be intense and jet-like, the tan a rich warm 

 mahogany ; the two colours in all points where they meet being abruptly 

 separated not running into each other. On the head the tan runs 

 along each jaw, on the lower jaw running down almost to the throat ; a 

 bright spot on the cheek, and another above the eye, each clearly sur- 

 rounded with black, and well defined; the inside of the ears slightly 

 tanned, spots of tan on each side of the breast, the forelegs tanned up to 

 the knee ; feet tanned, but the knuckles with a clear black line, called 

 the " pencil mark," up their ridge ; and in the centre of the tan, midway 

 between the foot and the knee, there must be a black spot called the 

 "thumb mark," and the denser the black, and the clearer in its outline, 

 the more it is valued. The insides of the hind legs are tanned, and also 



