2l6 NOTED MASTIFFS. 



and that was enough to recommend him to some people ; 

 however Druid, his son Trajan, and grandson Tarquin, all 

 proved decided failures as stud dogs, except for getting a few 

 bitches of great size. 



The strain is characterised by remarkably small ears, a 

 tendency to narrow, lanky, gaunt bodies, tucked up flanks, 

 legginess, lightness of bone, long, light heads, and general 

 coarseness, in fact a decided manifestation of the vertragal 

 cross is often more or less present in Druid's descendants. 



Hercules, his son Green's Monarch, and grandson, Mr. 

 Beaufoy's Nero, have been an element for the introduction of 

 size, with coarser bone, but the strain has usually been very 

 coarse, also long and pointed in the head, and heavy in the 

 ear, but usually excellent in colour. It is a pity Mr. Beaufoy's 

 Nero w r as not more extensively bred from, as for all their 

 coarseness and defective heads, the strain was calculated to 

 produce some very useful brood bitches, it being always more 

 certain and satisfactory to breed for type from the sire, with 

 colour and size on the dam's side. 



Another strain that has become somewhat prominent, owing 

 to its size, is that of Big Ben ; crossed with the King blood he 

 begot a very typical specimen in Caesar, who was nevertheless 

 coarse and heavy in ear. Had not Big Ben's pedigree been 

 stated as a full brother to Punch 2329, his characteristics 

 were much more suggestive of his sire's kennel companion, 

 Hercules 2298, than the fine coated, and somewhat light 

 boned son of King and Hilda. Big Ben's descendants have 

 been characterized by great size, vast bone, over large 

 leathery ears, and general coarseness ; crossed with the Druid 

 strain they have become possessed of even greater size, with 

 a greatly improved ear, but the faults of both stirps are often 



