444 British Dogs. 



in 1873, with a light red and white Japanese pug, the parents of which 

 were imported by a friend of his in the 1st Dragoon Guards, and obtained 

 by him from the Summer Palace of the Emperor of China. This dog was 

 also of the same type, and an excellent specimen. A Mr. Currie, of 

 Manchester, has a bitch with which he has also won a prize or two at 

 local shows ; and together with others that I have seen, coupled with 

 other facts, are conclusive evidence that the breed is one peculiar to Japan, 

 where it is kept in its purity and highly prized by the aristocracy of that 

 country, as well as being a Eoyal favourite there. 



" A Japanese gentleman, now residing at Blackburn, where he is acquir- 

 ing a knowledge of the cotton business at the mills of Messrs. Briggs, 

 heard of my Japanese pug, and on seeing it, to satisfy a friend of mine, 

 favoured me with the following : 



" [COPT.] 

 " ' Eose Hill Mills, Blackburn, September 19, 1879. 



" 'I have seen Mr. Marples' Japanese pug, and I, being a native of 

 Japan, can testify to its being a very good one ; in fact, I have seen scores 

 in my native country, and I do not remember ever seeing a better. They 

 are mostly black and white in colour, and in coat, size, and general con- 

 formation I should say the little dog Ming Seng is a correct repre- 

 sentation. 



"'(Signed) YAMANOBE TAKEO, 



Tokio, Japan.' 



"The prevailing colour is undoubtedly black" and white, though there 

 are some of a different colour red and white, brown and white, and self 

 colours the Rev. Mr. Hodson's to note. The coat, in texture, re- 

 sembles most to my mind that of a good colley, and also the architecture 

 of the animal, excepting, of course, his extremities. In disposition the dogr 

 is very lively and intelligent, and, like our own pug, extremely sensitive. 

 He soon becomes attached to his home and its inmates, to whom, under 

 kind treatment, he shows great affection, but is somewhat sullen with 

 strangers, and feels and remembers the least chastisement. Like the 

 French poodle, however, he is remarkably intelligent and may be taught 

 many tricks. 



" Ming Seng is now a little over 3| years old, and was imported by 

 a sailor on board a merchant vessel trading between London and Japan, 



