IQ4 THE NOTED BREEDERS MR. THOMPSON AND MR. LUKEV. 



often hail shot, owing no doubt to their excessive in-breeding, 

 and mastiffs with a known bloodhound cross often inherit 

 these white spots from their bloodhound ancestor. 



Writing April 22, 1873, Mr. Thompson remarked, "Venus, 

 " the bitch I gave John Crabtree, had a white face. Saladin's 

 " dam had eight puppies to Dan, and all clear of white with 

 u one exception, and that was a brindle bitch with white 

 " blaze up the face." 



August 29, 1873, "There is one characteristic in the mastiff 

 " which I should like to see again, and that is high courage. 

 " I often think of Saladin, he inherited no cowardly disposi- 

 tion, but possessed the essence of docility, and the bravery 

 " of a gladiator." 



Apri] 1 5th, 1873, " There are two or three items in Mr. G.'s 

 "letter which I observed, and about which I will say a word 

 " or two; If I mistake not, size is a point which is so neces- 

 " sary in his opinion, that he would not hesitate crossing with 

 " either boarhound, wolfhound, or any other hound, providing 

 "lie can realize his object, i also differ with him about the 

 '- character and points of the head, still he states there is 

 ki nothing more quickly affected by impurity in blood. There 

 " is another point about the head I cannot exactly agree with, 

 " which is this, however well a head may measure, outward 

 " appearances are such very necessary points, that hidden 

 " treasures can never wholly supply, in fact immediately a 

 " dog comes before you, the eye naturally wanders in search 

 "of this grand outward necessity; you do not want to use 

 " the tape like a tailor, or lilt the skin as lie slates, to give 

 " the forehead more breadth ; the formation should be there 

 "without this extra manipulation to produce the effect and 



