THE FOX-TERRIER 427 



has been said, the Wire-haired Fox-terrier is more popular to-day 

 as a show dog than at any previous period in its career. 



It must not be forgotten in estimating the degree of popularity 

 attained by the two breeds that the Smooth-haired had a consider- 

 able start of the Wire-haired. The former was receiving a liberal 

 classification at shows a decade before a similar privilege was 

 accorded the latter, which was usually to be found, when exhibited 

 at all, amongst a very miscellaneous collection. The stud books 

 and old show reports unmistakably prove this; while, if further 

 evidence is required as to the popularity of the two, this is furnished 

 by the prices realised. The Smooth, even in the comparatively 

 early days of shows, commanded good prices, while the Wire-haired 

 scarcely realised more shillings than the other did pounds, and was 

 even regarded by some as but a fitting companion for the itinerant 

 rat-catcher. Having received the hall-mark of varietal rank, it was 

 not even accurately located in the list of breeds, being classified as 

 a non-sporting dog. From our own personal knowledge of the 

 breed, and from what we have gleaned from old-time fanciers, it 

 was a sporting dog, if nothing else ! To-day the Wire-haired variety 

 occupies a very different position, is quite as much esteemed by 

 those best capable of forming an opinion of its merits, and equally 

 as valuable as the Smooth. No better evidence of the latter can 

 be cited than the purchase by an American fancier of the best two 

 specimens of the breed known to fanciers of the present generation 

 Go Bang and Meersbrook Bristles for the enormous sum of 

 ^500 each. 



THE SMOOTH-HAIRED VARIETY 



Passing on to the consideration of the historical part of this 

 popular dog, we cannot, on the whole, have a better instructor than 

 Mr. Scott, who contributed the article upon the subject to the 

 First Edition of "British Dogs." Though many years have now 

 elapsed since the lines were penned, the facts were in the main 

 so carefully compiled that nothing practically has been added since 

 by the modern historian to throw new light upon the period covered 

 by " Peeping Tom." We, therefore, retain the text of his article, 

 with a few minor modifications. It is as follows : 



" Some of us will, I dare say, remember the old Black-and- 

 tan English Terrier not in any way resembling the whip-tailed, 

 smooth-coated, and pencil-toed Black-and-tan of the present day, 

 but a dog of very similar appearance to the Old Jock and Old Trap 

 type of Fox-terriers. 



My father has at present in his possession a painting of a 

 noted Terrier that belonged to his grandfather. This dog was 



