78 DOMESTICATED HUNTING-DOGS. 



sible, thou^^b always mor<; or less present. The dew-claws are en- 

 tirely absent, and if present may be considered a mark of impurity. 

 The colors most in request are steel-grey, with black tips ; fawn 

 with brown tips to ears and tail; black, fawn, or blue, especially 

 a dark, slaty blue ; the slightest trace of white is carefully avoided- 

 The hair is long and straight, hard, and not silky, parted down the 

 back, and nearly reaching the ground on each side, without the 

 sli"-htest curl or resemblance to wool. On the legs and on the top 

 of the head it is lighter in cohjr than on the body, and is softer and 

 more silky. This dog is little used as a sporting or vermin dog, 

 beino- chiefly reserved for the companionship of man, but he is 

 sometimes employed as a vermin-killer, and is as game as the rest 

 of the terriers, when employed for that purpose. His weight is 

 from 10 to 18 lbs., averaging about 14. But the variations in this 

 particular, as indeed in almost all the points of the Skye terrier, 

 are numerous beyond description. Thus there are, first of all, two 

 if not three kinds of the pure Skye ; one rather small in size, with 

 long soft hair ; another considerably larger, and with hard, wiry 

 hair; while again, between these two, a third may, by hair-split- 

 ters, be readily made out. Then there is also a cross between the 

 Skye and Dandie, which partakes in nearly equal proportions of 

 the characte; istics of each ; and, lastly, most of the Skye terriers 

 about Loudon are crossed with the spaniel, giving them that silky 

 coat and jet black color which are admired by the ladies, but mark 

 impurity of blood. This cross is detected by the worn-out ap- 

 pearance of the hair on the face, up to the brow. The Skye is a 

 very good vermin dog, and will hunt anything. The portrait of 

 the prick-eared variety given is that of a dog belonging to Mr. H. 

 Martin, of Glasgow. 



The Fox Terrier was originally kept as an addition to every pack 

 of foxhounds, being always so handy as to be up within a very few- 

 minutes of running to ground. Now hounds are so fast that he 

 would be left many miles behind in a run, and dependence is there- 

 fore placed upon any chance terrier at hand when one is wanted. 

 But in proportion as he has ceased to be used in the hunting-field, 

 he has attained popularity as the most fashionable companion lor 



