Mr. Cowley's Terriers. 161 



weapons of various kinds have done more to take the life 

 of the poor otter than the bites of the animal for whom 

 such a victory has been claimed. The Sealy Ham terrier 

 is comparatively unknown out of that part of the Principality 

 in which it is bred ; it seldom appears on the show bench, 

 although about four years ago, in a class for " working 

 terriers " Captain Edwardes exhibited one called Tip at 

 Haverfordwest. Of this dog it was stated in the catalogue 

 that its pedigree was known for a hundred years, and that 

 it was warranted to go to ground to fox, badger, and 

 otter. 



An excellent strain of wire-haired terriers is carefully 

 bred by Mr. J. H. B. Cowley, of Callipers, near King's 

 Langley. Here, again, is a short-legged, long-bodied, hard- 

 coated dog. I know of my own experience that there 

 is no better strain for work, and Mr. Cowley is to be 

 congratulated and thanked for having established a variety 

 which, even more than the Sealy Ham terrier, is likely to 

 be used for crossing the "show dog" with advantage to 

 the latter. Mr. Cowley's dogs are bred for doing the 

 work for which the terrier was originally brought into the 

 world. It is a treat to see them either making their way 

 to the badger or fox, or in the more plebeian yet equally 

 enjoyable diversion of rat-hunting. Their owner follows 

 the latter as one of the " fine arts." He has all sorts of 

 appliances in the form of nets, rods, &c., with which to 

 catch the rats when the terriers cannot reach them, and 

 when they have been driven about by the ferrets. Mr. 

 Cowley can set half a dozen of his dogs to watch half a 

 dozen different holes, some within the buildings, some out- 

 side. A rat scuttles about, bolts, and is quickly snapped 

 up by the terrier watching for him ; but another terrier 



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