The Skye Terrier. 323 



western islands that is not common to the whole of 

 Scotland. That he has been extensively displaced, 

 there and elsewhere, there can be no question, 

 though no better reason can be assigned for this 

 than that ' ilk dog has his day ; ' or that, though 

 others are no better and much less attractive, a 

 charm has been thrown around them by a wizard 

 wand. Yet it is believed by those who have the 

 best practical knowledge of him that the Skye has 

 no compeer in his own peculiar domain. Wherever 

 there are rocks, dens, burrows, cairns, or covers to 

 explore, or waters to take to, his services should be 

 called into requisition. The smallest of all the useful 

 terrier tribe, the lowest set, the longest in body, the 

 strongest proportionally in legs, feet, jaws, and chest, 

 the most muscular and flexible in his whole frame, 

 the best protected against weather, injury, or foes, 

 with an unequalled acuteness of sight, scent, and 

 hearing, an unrivalled alacrity of action, and an 

 indomitable pluck, he is possessed of pre-eminent 

 qualifications for his special work. He needs only 

 to have it put before him to prove that he is imbued 

 with the spirit of his native master, who when taken 

 from his hill to the battlefield and told : 



There's the foe ; he has nae thought but how to 

 Kill twa at a blow. 



No kennel can be complete without him. 



Y 2 



