1 8 BRITISH DOGS 



Of the various strains of Mastiffs the Lyme Hall is one of the 

 most ancient. It has been in the Legh family since the fifteenth 

 century. The late Mr. Kingdon was a strong advocate for the 

 purity of this strain, and maintained that no out-cross had been 

 resorted to. This, however, has been disputed, and about twenty 

 years ago a letter from a well-known Mastiff breeder was published, 

 in which he stated that he was in possession of a communication 

 from Mr. Legh which tended to show that Mr. Kingdon was 

 mistaken upon this point. The Duke of Devonshire also possessed 

 a celebrated strain of Mastiffs at Chatsworth, and it was from a 

 bitch obtained from this source in the early part of the last century 

 that Mr. Lukey laid the foundation of his well-known kennel of 

 Mastiffs. It is from dogs bred by Mr. Lukey that most of the 

 best Mastiffs of to-day are descended. 



Among other noted breeders following close upon Mr. Lukey 

 will be found the names of Captain Gamier, Mr. Edgar Hanbury, 

 Rev. M. B. Wynn, Mr. Edwin Nichols, and Miss Anglionbury, 

 who was the breeder of Turk (2,349), one of the most noted 

 Mastiffs of thirty years ago, and winner of numerous prizes between 

 1870 and 1875. This dog had many owners, but was eventually 

 purchased by Mr. Edwin Brough, who has made a world-wide 

 reputation as a breeder of Bloodhounds, but who at that time was 

 breeding Mastiffs, and with him Turk ended his days. It is 

 difficult to find a Mastiff of any note without this dog's name 

 appearing in its pedigree; but as in those days any number of 

 dogs could be called by the same name, it is more than probable 

 that this celebrated Mastiff was credited with being the father of 

 puppies sired by some other dog of the same name. Turk was 

 one of the few dogs sired by Mr. Field's King (2,301), a grandson 

 of Mr. Lukey's Governor. He was a fawn dog, as was also his 

 sire. Another celebrated dog of about the same period was Mr. 

 Green's Monarch (2,316). It is to be regretted that this dog was 

 not more extensively used at stud, as his great size and bone and 

 excellent legs and feet are qualities which he transmitted to many 

 of his progeny. On the other hand, his rough coat and high 

 carriage of tail were faults objected to by many faults which were 

 apparent in many of his immediate descendants, but probably 

 more so in those of the next generation. These defects could 

 have been, and in fact were, bred out with a little care and attention. 

 Mr. Hanbury's Rajah (2,333), besides being the winner of many 

 prizes, left his mark as a stud dog in being the sire of Wolsey 

 (S>3 I S) a dark brindle which colour he inherited from his dam, 

 Mr. Hanbury's Queen and The Shah (4,45?), which, like his father, 

 was a fawn, but not so dark in muzzle and ears, nor so good in shape 

 of skull, as could be wished. This dog was first exhibited as a 

 ouppy by his breeder, Mr. W. H. Balleston, at the Crystal Palace 



