THE RETRIEVERS 



335 



though the cross of the red Irish Setter with the Labrador would 

 probably produce a fair percentage of blacks. These could be 

 crossed in with a high-quality, show, Flat-coated Retriever, and thus 

 a fresh current of blood would be introduced, which not only would 

 check the tendency to excessive inbreeding, but would probably 

 increase the powers of scent, and induce that steadiness which, 

 it must be regretfully admitted, is often sadly wanting in our 

 modern dogs ; for they are high-couraged creatures, and somewhat 

 impatient of restraint. 



FIG. 72. MR. HARDING Cox's FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER BLACK DRAKE. 



To revert to Black Drake (Fig. 72). His early show career was 

 anything but brilliant, for he was a leggy, backward puppy that 

 did not appear to full advantage until he was over two years old, 

 and he was quite eclipsed by his litter-sister Black Hen. As a 

 youngster he had a grand head, but it suddenly grew coarse, and 

 then, later on, again fined down, until there was little fault to find. 

 He won innumerable prizes, and beat most of the champions of the 

 day, securing two challenge prizes himself, and just missing the 

 full championship title, owing to an extraordinary oversight on 

 the part of a judge. But it was as a stud dog that his achieve- 



