The Irish Terrier. 369 



As I understand the club are about to frame a standard and code of 

 points, and that those of Mr. Jamison' s may form the basis of discussion, 

 I venture to point out what appears to me a danger of altering the 

 character of the dog as at present recognised, and sure (if I may use an 

 Irishism) that would be a sad thing to befall a dog so ancient and pure 

 that he has been referred to in old manuscripts in Irish. 



Mr. G. Jamison writes : 



" The Irish terrier, as his name denotes, is the representative of the 

 Emerald Isle, and specially suitable for his native damp country, being 

 able to stand much more wet, cold, and fatigue than most other terriers ; 

 the coat is so hard and flat on the body that wet cannot penetrate, and, 

 not being too long, does not hinder them in cover work. This breed is 

 more used as vermin destroyers than for any other purpose, which 

 principally accounts for breeding for size being neglected ; however, 

 within the last four or five years the breed has been much closer looked 

 after, and at the present time there are a number of these dogs that in 

 point of show qualities approach as near perfection as most breeds. 

 There are a certain number of enthusiasts who have been writing this 

 breed up in fancier papers as the only genuine working terrier ; this, of 

 course, is nonsense ; at the same time it is a recognised fact that 

 from their peculiar hardy and active habits they at least are deserving 

 of a front rank among working terriers. In the beginning of the year 

 1879 the Irish Terrier Club was inaugurated for the protection and 

 breeding of pure specimens ; the club has been the means of the breed 

 being brought more prominently before the public. 



" Head. Skull must be flat and moderately narrow between ears, 

 getting narrower towards the eye, without much stop ; the jaw must 

 be strong and muscular, not too full in the cheek and of a fair 

 punishing length, but not so fine as a black and tan or white English 

 terrier ; there should be a little falling away or chiselling out below the 

 eye, so as not to give a greyhound appearance ; teeth should be strong and 

 level ; nose must be black ; eyes generally of a dark hazel colour, small, 

 and full of life and fire ; ears, when uncut, small and V shaped, of 

 moderate thickness, set well up on the head, and dropping forward closely 

 to the cheek ; the ear must be free of fringe and the hair thereon shorter 

 and generally darker in colour than the body ; as long as the present 

 demand for terrier character is prevalent we are afraid the adversaries to 



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