THE DALMATIAN 383 



(which would indicate want of speed) ; the back powerful ; loin strong, muscular, 

 and slightly arched. 



Legs and Feet are of great importance. The fore legs should be perfectly 

 straight, strong, and heavy in bone ; elbows close to the body ; fore feet round, 

 compact, and well arched ; toes cat-footed, and round, tough, elastic pads. In 

 the hind legs the muscles should be clean, though well denned, the hocks well 

 let down. 



Nails. In the black-spotted variety, black and white ; in the liver-spotted 

 variety, brown and white. 



The Tail should not be too long, but should be strong at the insertion, 

 gradually tapering towards the end, and free from coarseness. It should not be 

 inserted too low down, but carried with a slight curve upwards, and never curled. 

 It should be spotted, the more profusely the better. 



The Coat should be short, hard, dense, and fine, sleek and glossy in appearance, 

 but neither woolly nor silky. 



Colour and Markings. These are most important points. The ground-colour 

 in both varieties should be pure white, very decided and not intermixed. The 

 colour of the spots in the black-spotted variety should be black, the deeper and 

 richer the black the better ; in the liver-spotted variety they should be brown. 

 The spots should not intermingle, but be as round and well defined as possible, 

 the more distinct the better ; in size they should vary from that of a sixpence to 

 that of a florin. The spots on the head, face, ears, legs, tail, and extremities 

 should be smaller than those on the body. 



Size. Dogs, 55lb.*; bitches, 35lb. 



STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE 



Head and Eyes ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Legs and Feet ... ... ... ... ... 15 



Ears ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 



Coat ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 



Neck and Shoulders ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Body, Back, Chest, and Loins ... ... ... ... 10 



Colour and Markings ... ... ... ... 30 



Tail ... ... ... ... 5 



Size, Symmetry, etc. ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Total 100 



