Early Exhibitions. 45 



cognomen still remains with the shepherds' dogs, although 

 not restricted to the one sex, and cur dog and cur bitch are 

 by no means of unusual application anywhere north of 

 the Trent. The term " cur " is neither a nice one, nor 

 complimentary to so noble a breed of dog as that of 

 the shepherds', for he is by no means that ignoble and 

 worthless variety such an ill-chosen name implies. 



Two years later, viz., in 1870, the Darlington manage- 

 ment came again to the fore by providing a challenge 

 class which was for both dogs and bitches ; the open one 

 was likewise for dogs and bitches rough coated, and now 

 for about the first time was a special class provided for the 

 smooth coated variety. The latter, very numerous in north 

 Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland, useful active 

 dogs both on the hill and fell sides, and on the leveller and 

 lower-lying pastures. Five champions were forward, 

 twenty-five rough coated dogs and bitches, and fifteen 

 smooth coated ones. 



So much for the progress of classes, and most of the 

 dogs that were winners up to twenty years ago are well- 

 nigh forgotten. Rovers and Laddies were in force 

 eight of the former and eleven of the latter appear in 

 the first volume of the Stud Book and few now recollect 

 Mr. Palhorpe's Rover, Mr. Gamon's Laddie, Mr. John 

 Inman's Samson, Mr. J. Ashcroft's Rob, or Mr. J. Smith's 

 Rover, all great, good dogs in their day, prize-winners, 

 and the best of their race at that time. 



Most of these were rather heavy, cumbersome animals, 

 generally black and tan in colour, sometimes grey or dull 

 brown or mixed brindle sable, the bright red or orange 

 tints being scarcely known then. Mr. Inman's dog did a 

 considerable amount of winning at local shows, and he was 



