THE WHITE ENGLISH TERRIER 531 



Of course, in breeding-in a selection of the fittest must be 

 made, for it is one of the facts connected therewith which should 

 never be lost sight of, that there is a strong tendency in nature 

 to reproduce individual characteristics as well as the features 

 common to the family. It will also be admitted that the closer 

 dogs can be bred without loss of vitality, the better, when the 

 desire is to preserve type ; for in-and-in breeding is the best 

 safeguard against throwing back to any one of, it may be, the 

 somewhat discordant elements out of which the breed was originally 

 formed. 



As to points, with the exception of colour, the White English 



FIG. 107. THE WHITE ENGLISH TERRIER. 



Terrier (Fig. 107) may be judged by those of the Black-and-tan 

 Terrier. The colour should be pure white, the eye small, rather oval 

 shaped, and black, the nose black, the head well balanced, level, 

 and gradually tapering. The ears used to be always cropped, which 

 was a great pity, for some of these dogs have naturally pretty drop 

 ears, thin and neat. Smartness of build, a close, dense, but smooth 

 coat, and what is known as a " Terrier expression," are desiderata. 

 As already said, the wheel back and hooped tail, inherited from no 

 very remote ancestor, are very objectionable, and are generally 

 accompanied by a soft, "unvarmint" look. 



This variety does not gain in popularity, nor do the numbers 

 exhibited increase, the present-day specimens showing little im- 



