THE NOTED BREEDERS MR. I.UKKV AND MR. THOMPSON. 187 



In 1872, I wrote to Mr. Thompson that the dog Tiger then 

 owned by Sir Geo. Armitage, and sire of my Fan iii, was not 

 large enough for the modern fancy. He replied in a letter 

 dated November 21, 1872, " Tiger, I will allow, is not so 

 massive as some I have seen, but notwithstanding, he is a 

 " fashionable high-bred animal, free from that rugged coarse - 

 * ness of coat and other properties which we often see.'' 

 Writing October 28, 1871, he said, "Mr. Ackroyd's Dan, 

 (sire of Saladin,) was not a large dog, perhaps 28 inches at 

 " shoulder, but had a grand true mastiff head, a beautiful 

 " coat, fine, straight tail, and great muscular power.'* 



Again writing December the 24th, 1875, he said of Bill 

 George's Tiger, " Tiger's ears were neither very small nor large 

 " but somewhat thin in texture, and laid flat to the head, so 

 * also Dan, the sire of Tiger's dam. whose ears were fine. 

 " neat, and half erect.'' 



The following extracts from Mr. Thompson's letters and 

 essay, will give the reader a very clear insight of the true type 

 of the British mastiff, as well as show the thorough knowledge 

 of the variety that great Yorkshire breeder possessed. Ever 

 courteous in his manners, the following lines of Horace are 

 truly applicable to him : 



" Dignum laude virnw Musa vciat mori." 



With regard to mere size, in a letter dated January 7th, 

 1873, ne wrote, " I am no advocate for tall and leggv dogs 

 " but it appears to be a fashionable characteristic with some 

 "judges. Plenty of substance, good coat, head and tail, are 

 ' features which ought to be encouraged in preference to long 

 " heads and legs, light bodies, and twisted tails." It is 

 worthy of remark the stress Mr. Thompson always laid on 



