1 8 Modern Dogs. 



these prove the extraordinary popularity terriers 

 have attained during the present generation, and, 

 whilst years ago a ten-pound note was considered 

 a high price for one of the best of them, ten times 

 that sum and even more, will be given for a perfect 

 specimen at the present day. As I write this, 

 ^300 has just been given for a fox terrier called 

 Despoiler, which by the greatest stretch of imagina- 

 tion could not be considered of greater quality than 

 second class. No doubt the appearance of the 

 terrier all round has generally improved, though 

 whether this is at the expense of his ability to work 

 and do the work for which nature originally intended 

 him is an open question. 



Perhaps a word or two as to the shapes and 

 sizes of our modern terriers may not be amiss. In 

 size they vary greatly, for, whilst a " toy " may 

 perhaps not scale more than 4lb. to 5lb. in weight, 

 an " Airedale " is not out of place if he scales 

 45lb. to Solb., and there are terriers of every 

 weight between the two. Perhaps some time the 

 weight of the terrier may be restricted to 2olb. 

 at most. This is, however, not likely to be the case, 

 for few of the varieties are now required to go 

 underground after the fox, or badger, or otter, a 

 majority of them being used for purely fancy pur- 

 poses, as companions and house-dogs, or as casual 



