The Skye Terrier. 337 



'holt' and the badger's 'earth,' but this, if true at all, is only so in 

 a very limited sense, i.e., drawing-room pets are no doubt in vogue 

 throughout England and some districts of Scotland, but they are not 

 acknowledged in the Highlands as the native terrier, being neither bred 

 nor kept by admirers of the gallant little mountaineers. Probably the most 

 marked distinction between the old breed and the modern so-called Skye 

 terrier to be met with at exhibitions, is that of 'coat,' which, on the 

 fancy article, is frequently of a silky texture, and ranging from eight 

 inches to about a foot in length, while the true breed has wiry hair, and 

 rarely, if ever, exceeding in length one-third of the extreme limit above- 

 named. 



" Some theorists, who have been unable to shut their eyes to these 

 marked differences, have ascribed them to two causes, viz., the complete 

 change in the mode of life to which dogs are subjected in England, 

 coupled with the fact of a milder climate prevailing there than further 

 north. But if these views were not fallacious, it would follow that High- 

 land-bred terriers sent to England and reared there (many of them in the 

 lap of luxury) would themselves, or their produce, in course of time, 

 manifest a change of coat in harmony with their reputed descendants (the 

 show animals). However, experience has shown beyond question that 

 the covering provided for the Skye terrier by ' Dame Nature ' is not 

 liable to be influenced in its growth by external causes, or the habits of 

 life becoming more artificial. As a matter of fact, the Skye terrier proper, 

 whether lodged in the kennel, made a pet of in the drawing-room, or as 

 you please in this country, is still a terrier, and not a substitute for a 

 door mat. We do not wish to imply that only Highland-bred Skyes are 

 genuine, but we submit that bonu fide lineal descendants of such, and 

 they alone, are entitled to be termed Skye terriers. We challenge 

 breeders of the popular show specimens to declare when, where, and from 

 whom in the Highlands the dogs were derived, from whom their present 

 show Skyes are alleged to have originated, and further, to enlighten the 

 public by explaining to them how the modifications as to ' coat,' and 

 other points specified hereafter, are reconcilable with the statements 

 made that the breed had been maintained pur et simple. Such, then, is 

 the ground taken up by the subscribers, all of whom are familiar with the 

 terriers bred in the Western Isles and Highlands of Scotland, and known 

 there for at least eighty years as Skye terriers, the characteristics of 



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