336 BRITISH DOGS 



ments are worthy of historical record. In his early days he naturally 

 had but few chances, and it was not until his son Wimpole Peter 

 burst upon an admiring Fancy that breeders began to patronise 

 the sire ; but from that time he never looked back. His career 

 was as short as it was brilliant, for he succumbed to gastritis at the 

 comparatively early age of five years. 



A very long list of winners by Black Drake may be quoted, 

 and instances have more than once arisen where every prize-winner 

 in half a dozen classes has been his child or grandchild. Amongst 

 the most notable of his winners are Champion Wimpole Peter, 

 Champion Black Queen (Fig. 73), Champion Bring ? Em, Champion 

 Black Squirrel, Black Cherry, Black Maple, Colwyn Clytie, Black 

 Pride, Black Squall, Black Quail, Black Amazon, Luton Melody, 

 Ivy of Batsford, etc., etc. ; whilst the big winners Champion Black 

 Quilt and Black Charm claim him as grandsire. 



Amongst modern sires Champion Darenth is worthy of more 

 than passing mention, although his average does not approach that 

 of Black Drake ; for the former's career at the stud was much more 

 protracted than that of his grandsire. Champion Darenth begat 

 a host of winners, including Champion Blizzard, Lustre, Champion 

 Darwen, Black Cloth (sire of Black Drake), and last, but not least, 

 the beautiful Champion Horton Rector, who himself has made a 

 grand start at the stud as sire of Champion Black Quilt, Horton 

 Fern, Oracle, etc. 



It is a somewhat notable fact that for every first-class dog 

 seen of late years there have been at least three first-class 

 bitches, and it would seem that the latter are, as a rule, blessed 

 with superior constitutions. The consideration of this fact opens 

 up a very pretty complication of the question of inbreeding. The 

 last years of the past century saw a very serious preponderance of 

 bitches, and although the dogs have increased since the beginning 

 of the twentieth century, the balance is by no means level. 



The writer's personal experience is that the death-rate from 

 distemper is fifty per cent, higher in the case of dogs than in that 

 of bitches, especially where the disease has attacked puppies ex- 

 ceeding nine months in age ; an observation that has been noted, 

 but not accounted for, by other devotees of the breed. 



The utility of dog shows as a means of maintaining and 

 improving purity of type in the canine race, without impairing utility, 

 has often been called in question, and really the spurious evolution 

 that has taken place in some breeds, notably in Fox-terriers and Bull- 

 dogs, is greatly to be deplored. It is a case of cause and effect, 

 induced by the exaggeration of type, and the sacrifice of a well- 

 balanced and symmetrical whole, to the undue and excessive 

 development of some special " fancy " point. For instance, the 

 craze for exceedingly narrow chests in Fox-terriers has evolved this 



