CHAPTER LXVIII 

 The Pekinese Dog 



HE name of Pekinese is given to the rough coated dog, whose 

 smooth relative has long been known as the Pekinese or 

 Chinese pug. In this country, the rough dog goes by the 

 name of Pekinese spaniel, but the term spaniel has been 

 dropped in England and it is now the Pekinese dog there. 

 It is undoubtedly a very old breed for the reason that as far back as it can be 

 traced it is the same dog in its decided peculiarities that we have to-day, 

 showing that it was then the result of many years culture and selection for 

 type. Opportunities for research in byegone Chinese lore and relics are not 

 very great in New York, but there is sufficient to establish what we have 

 stated. In addition to a small collection of Chinese porcelain, earthen- 

 ware and curios at the Metropolitan Museum there are the added Bishop 

 collection of jade and the Pierpont Morgan collection of Chinese porcelain 

 all three of which contain data regarding these dogs. We cannot compli- 

 ment the officials responsible for the nomenclature of many of the speci- 

 mens bearing the name of "lion" in the Bishop and Morgan collections. If 

 these are lions then it is the first time we ever knew of any lions with drop 

 or pendant ears and profusely feathered tails, curled over their backs. The 

 same thing is seen in the Japanese collection where the name of "shishi" 

 is given in place of the English word lion, an inappropriate term if the object 

 is to give English speaking people information, or even misinformation as in 

 this case. 



The oldest of these dogs is the carved crystal in the Bishop collection 

 (No. 381) entitled "lions" but which is a Pekinese bitch with two puppies. 

 Each has the drop or pendant ear and the plumed tail over the back. The 

 carver undoubtedly exaggerated the tails of the puppies, for they are much 

 more heavily feathered than puppies' tails would be at their age. The 

 heads are massive and flat across the top of the skull, muzzle short, but very 

 full. There is sufficient to indicate that the mane was profuse. As the 

 bitch is reclining it is not possible to speak with confidence regarding the 



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