48 The Fox Terrier. 



there are now for work, perhaps better, for there was more 

 use for them then. The columns of The Field during 

 1866-67 contained a number of excellent letters on the fox 

 terrier, written by those who knew what they were writing 

 of and how to put their ideas into words. The respective 

 merits of Jock and Tartar were freely discussed, and 

 "W. J. M." (the Rev. W. J. Mellor), who then resided at 

 Colwick Rectory, near Nottingham, received a rather warm 

 retort from the owner of Tartar, the Hon. T. W. Fitzwilliam, 

 tor suggesting that the little champion was " too much of 

 the bull terrier." 



" Idstone," whose charming articles have so often de- 

 lighted his readers, also wrote all he knew about fox 

 terriers, and this was what he said : " . . . First, I 

 think the coat of the terrier they breed is frequently too 

 fine ; a harder, denser description of jacket would be a 

 more suitable protection for a dog who has to face all 

 weather, and to submit all day to the splash of the hunts- 

 man's horse. I believe if he could choose for himself he 

 would pick out something more like bristles, although lying 

 closely, as offering a better defence to the weather or to 

 that angry thong he always is within reach of except when 

 he has gone to ground. ... I am no advocate for 

 broken-haired fox terriers," continues " Idstone," " and am 

 thoroughly of opinion that the smooth dog, as a class, beats 

 the rough dog in pluck and staying powers." He would, 

 indeed, be a bold man who could say this to-day, for there 

 are now, as then, good and bad of both varieties, and that 

 dog the better trained and with the greatest amount of hard 

 work to do will always be the one to do it properly. 



" Idstone " further remarks that " a pure fox terrier is 

 not required to draw badgers, nor should he be so ' hard 



