380 Modern Dogs. 



when she made her stroke at puss she killed. 

 Without vouching for the truth of her feats with the 

 larger vermin and the weasels, I can speak in the 

 highest terms of her credentials as a bitch to shoot 

 fur over, which she retrieved capitally. Her end 

 was an untimely one, being brought about by a 

 runaway engine on a local railway line. 



It will be nearly thirty years since a sporting high 

 sheriff brought north from London a black terrier 

 with cropped ears and a short wiry coat. This was 

 a 24lb. dog, low on the legs, sturdily and stoutly 

 made ; he was said to be of fighting strain, and his 

 character was such that a good round sum (for those 

 days) had been paid for him. In the north he was 

 a failure, for the country dogs could beat him at his 

 own job; and in hunting and rough fell work he was no 

 use at all, for his early training had been neglected. 



Some there may be reading this chapter who will 

 recollect Spring, a rough-coated black and tan 

 terrier, about I5lb. in weight, celebrated more for a 

 wonderful knack he had of catching rabbits on their 

 seats than for any actual gameness. This dog was 

 light in limbs, but close in coat, which was rather 

 long ; he had a nice " whip " tail, carried straight, 

 in correct show form fashion ; his ears were small 

 and dropped well ; but his jaw was somewhat weak, 

 and he lacked terrier character. A distinctive 



