THE BEDLINGTON TERRIER 495 



was a dog of slender build, about 1510. high, and i5lb. weight. 

 He was of a liver colour, the hair being a sort of hard, woolly 

 lint ; his ears were large, hung close to his cheeks, and were slightly 

 feathered at the tip. In the year 1820 Mr. Howe, of Alnwick, 

 visited a friend at Bedlington, and brought with him a Terrier 

 bitch named Phoebe, which he left with Mr. Edward Coates of 

 the Vicarage. Phcebe belonged to Mr, Andrew Riddle, of Framling- 

 ton, who subsequently made a present of her to Ainsley ; but 

 from the fact of her home being at the Vicarage, she was generally 

 known as Coates's Phcebe. Her colour was black, with sort of 

 branded legs, and she had a light-coloured tuft of hair on her 

 head. She was about i3in. high, and weighed i/jlb. In 1825 

 she was mated with Anderson's Piper, and the fruit of this union 

 was the Bedlington Terrier in question, Mr. Ainsley being the 

 first to claim that title for his dog Piper. 



The Bedlington Terrier is fast, and whether on land or water 

 is equally at home. He is wiry, enduring, and in courage equal 

 to the Bulldog, encountering otter, fox, or badger with the greatest 

 determination." 



The same writer, in common with most fanciers of the breed, 

 claims for them a pedigree going back to 1792 ; but it is quite 

 clear from the above statement that an admixture of Terrier blood 

 from Staffordshire was introduced, and the colour of the Alnwick 

 bitch bred from by Ainsley goes to show she was not, in that 

 point at least, what we recognise a Bedlington to be. The evidence, 

 written and traditional, is, however, conclusive that a Terrier of 

 a distinct type had, prior to that, been recognised as peculiar 

 to the district, and the infusion of a strain of foreign blood, although 

 it might modify, would probably not greatly alter the original type. 



In respect of the character of the Bedlington, it may be said 

 that he is somewhat self-willed, remarkably lively, with plenty of 

 "go," capital at vermin, showing plenty of courage and bottom, 

 receiving punishment in silence, and returning it with interest ; 

 he possesses a style quite his own, and is stamped with character, 

 which removes him from any suspicion of mongrelism. As already 

 noted, he is a first-class water dog, and most intelligent, obedient, 

 and useful as guard and companion. 



The following description was formulated by the old Bedlington 

 Terrier Club, which ceased to exist some years since. It must, 

 however, be said that the comparison of the Bedlington's head to 

 that of a ferret is neither a correct nor a happy one. 



Head. The head rather resembles that of a ferret, and though wedge-shaped, 

 like most Terriers, should be shorter in the skull and longer in the jaw, and 

 narrow or lean muzzled ; it should have a narrow, high skull, coned or peaked 

 at the occiput, and tapering away sharply to the nose. 



