THE SCOTTISH TERRIER 143 



and toyish, probably the result of indiscriminate con- 

 demnation of over-sized dogs. In the practical 

 sphere of breeding size is found to be hereditary 

 to a very minute extent, and can always be checked 

 by selection. If exhibition is to assist improvement, 

 then dogs which seem likely to do so should have 

 faults forgiven whose hereditary influence is neglig- 

 ible, rather than that dogs be encouraged which 

 are of no earthly use to future generations ; and 

 fine -boned, stomachless dogs are of as much value 

 to the breeder as mongrels probably less so. It 

 must not be inferred that big dogs are to be unduly 

 countenanced, but big dogs with bone and masculine 

 character are preferable to boneless monkeys -on-a- 

 stick. We all want the small-sized dog with bone 

 and stamina, but we have not many of him, and we 

 are more likely to obtain him through dogs with 

 bone, if over big, than through small dogs with not 

 enough bone. This bone we talk and write about 

 is in reality big ligaments and muscle, for the actual 

 bone as seen in a skeleton hardly differs perceptibly 

 between one dog and another, therefore the so-called 

 bone is merely a visible sign of strength." This 

 reads like exacting criticism, and Mr. McCandlish 

 somewhat mitigates his condemnation by remarking 

 that dogs may be no worse than they were, and 

 are possibly better ; it may only be that one grows 

 more critical the more one learns, but it is this sense 

 of dissatisfaction that makes a successful breeder. 

 In former times undue length of body was a some- 

 what prominent defect, and ears were much heavier 

 than they are to-day. To this latter reason in all 

 probability may be attributed the recognition in the 

 standard of a half-pricked ear, which is now rarely 



