l6 THE MASTIFF TYPE. 



The stern in the mastiff, need not necessarily be carried 

 down, as the modern fancy dictates, for although a decided 

 improvement, we see in the Assyrian sculptures, the tail 

 curled over the back, the same in the Tibetian and in the 

 older pictures of the English mastiff. 



The curled carriage of the stern lias been cultivated in the 

 pug dog until it has become an exaggerated peculiarity in that 

 breed. The coat of the mastiff varies greatly according to 

 climate and housing, and nothing sooner marks the country 

 the animal belongs to. The colours vary and formerly the 

 breed ran all colours. It w r ill readily be seen, mere height is 

 at variance with the true type; weight, and general massive- 

 ness, being far truer characteristics. 



The theory or opinion I hold, is that the English mastiff 

 from the earliest times has existed in Britain, in its purity 

 resembling in many respects a vast bulldog, being the ancestor 

 of that breed. Such being the true pugnaces peculiar to 

 Britain and Gaul mentioned by the historians, and by crossing 

 these with larger breeds, particularly the Asiatic mastiff 

 (introduced probably by the Phosnicians) and other large 

 races of the pugnaces, as the white alan or war dogs of the 

 Alani, a larger variety of the mastiff was formed, which often 

 became crossed with the boarhounds and other large breeds, 

 as example the Kerry beagle and old Southern hound ; to its 

 detriment. Whereas whenever crossed back with its dwarfed 

 descendant the bulldog, manifest improvement in all points 

 except mere height has been obtained. 



The English mastiff and English bulldog present affinity of 

 character possessed in common only by the Spanish bulldog, 

 of any known race of dog, character which is absent even in 

 the Asiatic mastiff. This stamps these varieties as peculiarly 



