Large Classes. 59 



compete in more than one division. Still, such arrangements 

 notwithstanding, from one hundred and fifty to over two 

 hundred terriers were often benched in one exhibition, and 

 at Nottingham, in 1872, 276 fox terriers were entered. 

 Here there was a puppy class which attracted 73 com- 

 petitors, whilst 74 animals were present in the open dog 

 class and 109 in that for bitches, where Tiny, alluded to 

 earlier on, won in the largest individual class of fox 

 terriers on record. Mr. S. Owen's Thatch, a now 

 forgotten dog, was placed at the head of affairs in 

 the open dog class, with the much better known Foiler 

 second only. The champion classes at the same show 

 had likewise large entries, Mr. T. Bassett's Spot, a 

 terrier of great reputation at that time, beating Tyke and 

 others in the dog division ; whilst another of the well nigh 

 forgotten ones, Mr. B. Cox's Whiskey, was placed over 

 May and Nectar for the bitch championship. A little later 

 Birmingham found the fox terriers so numerous that the 

 executive laid their heads together to devise some simplifi- 

 cation of the work the judges had to do. 



There was a controversy going on then about the size of 

 fox terriers. Both big and little were winning, and those 

 who owned the latter grumbled at the judges who by their 

 awards testified to the truth of the adage that " a good big 

 'un would always beat a good little 'un." So in 1876 the 

 fox terriers at Curzon Hall came, as it were, to be split up, 

 and classes were provided for dogs over i81b., bitches over 

 i61b. ; and also for dogs and bitches under such weights. 

 This arrangement continued for ten years, during which 

 period the fashion became so changed that the best judges 

 would scarcely condescend to look at a fox terrier much 

 over I7lb. As the custom had grown in the country for 



