78 The Collie or Sheep Dog. 



tortoiseshell appearance. It would be interesting to know 

 the reason why the shepherds' dogs, in their varieties, are 

 oftener found with those peculiar eyes than any other breed. 

 Dalmatians are likewise repeatedly seen similarly affected, 

 but terriers less often. A peculiar impression prevails in 

 some localities, that the vision of these " china " eyed dogs 

 is stronger and more powerful than that of others, and that 

 they never contract cataract, ophthalmia, or other diseases 

 of the optics, the truth or otherwise of which I have had no 

 opportunity of determining. These half-white eyes I take 

 to show an approach towards albinoism, and so would 

 be symbolical of weakness rather than of strength. Mr. 

 Howard Mapplebeck's Fan was a bitch of this mirled or 

 tortoiseshell colour, and Dr. James, Mr. E. Hutton, Mr. G. 

 Hall, Mr. Megson, Mr. S. Boddington, and others have 

 likewise introduced good specimens with the china eyes, 

 which, as a rule, have not been of their own breeding. 



Useful animal as is the smooth collie, he has quite failed 

 to become popular, the reason for which is not far to seek. 

 He lacks beauty, and is not interesting in appearance. The 

 story told on a*nother page is proof of his intelligence ; he 

 is easier to find of fair quality than his more popular 

 relative, and when found does not cost nearly so much 

 money. Ten pounds is a good round price to give for a 

 smooth collie, and instances of a hundred pounds being 

 paid for a rough dog are commoner than are cases of 

 twenty pounds given for the other, which, after all, carries 

 less dirt into the house, and so is more fitted for a drawing 

 room companion. He might be made fashionable yet, were 

 society to take him in hand, and I am confident that as a 

 dog he would rise to the occasion and demean himself with 

 true aristocratic hauteur. Let some enterprising admirer 



