190 THE ST. BERNARD 



Great Dane blood was introduced. The race is still 

 maintained by the monks, although one might have 

 thought that it would have been depleted owing to 

 the rage that set up in this country some fifty or 

 more years ago. One of the first to be imported was 

 the handsome dog " Tell," brought over by the late 

 Rev. J. Gumming Macdona, in 1866. So rapidly 

 did the liking for the dog grow that at the St. 

 Bernard Club Show in 1882, 250 dogs were benched, 

 and high prices soon became the order of the 

 day. " Sir Bedivere " went to America in exchange 

 for some 1,300, a price which is sufficiently note- 

 worthy to chronicle. It is by no means certain that 

 such a demand was for the good of the breed gene- 

 rally, as many people were attracted by the desire 

 to make money, with the inevitable effect that breed- 

 ing on correct lines was practically ignored by 

 numbers, whose only object was to sell their puppies. 

 The craze for size, too, has resulted in the production 

 of many deformities. It is possible to get a St. 

 Bernard over 200 lb., but it must demand great 

 skill to bring up such a monster sound on his legs and 

 with good loins. " Cinq Mars/* whose photograph 

 is printed on another page, was so symmetrical and 

 so full of quality that he easily beat bigger dogs, 

 although only weighing about 175 lb. He had 

 enormous bone, with a front as straight as that of 

 a terrier and perfectly sound action behind. 



In considering the merits of any dog much im- 

 portance must necessarily attach to the expression, 

 which is usually an index to character. That of a 

 St. Bernard should combine benevolence with saga- 

 city. Of course he is dignified, but he can also be 

 very gentle and condescending. If you can afford 



