614 



BRITISH DOGS 



of the prize-winners. Among these, in years gone by, were Wee 

 Flower, Crucifix, Rosy Cross, and Bankside Lily. Later came 

 Bankside Flower, Bankside Daisy, Bankside Beauty, Bankside 

 Jewel, and many others that may safely be called the nearest 

 to absolute perfection possible, at any rate at that time. 



In " Stonehenge's " original work, "The Dog in Health and 

 Disease," published 1859, there is given the pedigree of a then 

 celebrated Italian Greyhound Mr. Gowan's Billy, considered by 

 the fanciers of that day as perfect in all points. Billy was an 

 unusual example of close breeding, his grandsire, g.-g.-s., g.-g.-g.-s., 

 g.-g.-g.-g.-s., and g.-g.-g. -g.-g.-s., being the same dog Mr. Anderton's 

 Bill, imported from Italy. Mr. Gowan's Billy was a pure black, 



a colour very seldom seen in an 

 exhibited Italian Greyhound. 



In the early days of our 

 public dog shows Mrs. Burke, of 

 Barrcsbury, London, frequently 

 took prizes in this class, win- 

 ning at Birmingham and London 

 shows, year after year, with Sil- 

 vey, Silvery, and Sophy. Later 

 on, and for a number of years, 

 there was nothing that had a 

 chance in a show against Mr. 

 Macdonald's famous little Molly, 

 a dove-coloured specimen, 

 diminutive in size, but of ex- 

 quisite proportions. Molly lived 

 to the very considerable age of 

 twelve years, and literally went 

 to her grave burdened with 

 honours. Exceptionally good as she was, many specimens shown 

 by Mr. Bruce have been almost as good as Molly, and it is quite 

 certain that competitors now are much superior, as a whole, to 

 those Molly had to meet in her time. 



Her late Majesty Queen Victoria was amongst the admirers of 

 these graceful little dogs, and owned several typical specimens at 

 one time or another, some of which have been handed down to 

 posterity by means of the talented brush of the late Sir Edwin 

 Landseer, R.A. 



Amongst others who have been known as exhibitors of good 

 specimens have been Mr. James Fletcher with Wee Flower; 

 Mr. W. Macdonald with Duke and Molly (the latter, never 

 beaten in competition, was certainly the best seen up to that 

 time, and her owner refused a hundred guineas for her in 

 1871); Mr. J. J. Pirn with Bismarck; Mrs. Briggs with Venus; 



FIG. 128. Miss MACKENZIE'S ITALIAN 

 GREYHOUNDS CHAMPION STELLIO 

 AND VINO. 



