420 BRITISH DOGS 



the Dog," says : " The antiquity and the precise origin of the modern 

 Fox-terrier are involved in considerable obscurity." 



Both writers just quoted recognise the difficulties in the way of 

 clearing up the origin of this breed by tracing it to its sources, 

 knowing that there are missing links in the chain of evidence very 

 near to the end of it which we now hold. 



Though a good many practical writers claim the modern Fox- 

 terrier as a descendant cf the Hound for the fox and the badger of 

 Dr. Caius, none insists on direct descent without intermixtures 

 of blood, but rely on the inference drawn from the fact that, 

 through all the centuries since Caius, as probably for many more 

 centuries before his time, the Terrier was used for the same 

 work ; and it is, and has been, the practice to use the animals we 

 have suited to our several purposes, whilst ever attempting to 

 improve them. Such attempts result in some modifications, but 

 the work of the dog remains the same. The fox and the badger in 

 their form, nature, and habits being unchanged, the dog used to 

 follow them into their " terriers " would, of necessity, be kept of 

 certain character or type, however modified in trivial points. 



The word Terrier as applied to dogs is from the French terrier, 

 out of the Low Latin terrarium, and this again from the Latin terra, 

 clearly indicating that the dog is one that burrows, or goes to earth 

 after his quarry. The suitability of the term is also enhanced when 

 it is recollected that the hole, berry, burrow, or earth of rabbit, fox, 

 or badger, is also called in French a " terrier." The prefix " fox " 

 to this particular variety shows him to have been selected from 

 others as specially suited to bolt that animal. 



Dr. Caius disappointingly gives us no description of the Terrier. 

 He, however, gives us a fair picture of the dog at work. Writing of 

 Hounds, he sandwiches the Terrier between the Harrier and the 

 Bloodhound in these words : " Another sorte there is which hunteth 

 the foxe and the badger or greye onely, whom we call Terrars, 

 because they (after the manner and custom of ferrets in hunting for 

 connyes) creepe into the grounde, and by that means make afrayde, 

 nyppe and byte the foxe and the badger, in such sorte, that eyther 

 they teare them in pieces with theyre teeth, beying in the bosome of 

 the earth, or else hayle and pull them perforce out of their lurking 

 angles, dark dongeons, and close caves, or, at the least, through 

 conceived feare, drive them out of their hollow harbours, insomuch 

 that they are compelled to prepare speedy flight, and being desirous 

 of the next (albeit not the safest) refuge, are otherwise taken and 

 intrapped with snares and nettes layde over holes to the same 

 purpose." 



It is to be regretted that Dr. Caius did not write a description of 

 these Terriers. There were, however, several writers about dogs 

 contemporary with Caius, or very near his time, among them being 



