Varieties of the Dog. ^ 1 



old southern hound, the object being to remedy the present 

 defective constitution. This has resulted in all proba- 

 bility from what is understood to be " close breeding," 

 which, being freely translated, signifies breeding from 

 defective animals. Close consanguinity with the best and 

 healthiest animals gave us our unparalleled flocks and 

 herds, and the same will hold good with dogs of all 

 breeds. "Like produces like," was the watchword of 

 Bakewell, and as he followed with unerring precision the 

 principles embodied in the phrase, he produced the best 

 animals, and, conversely, he realised that unless he did 

 so, the produce would be anything but good. It is not 

 generally understood how unerringly the defects of an 

 animal are handed down from parent to offspring, and it 

 is chiefly to this that the incongruous mating of animals 

 is due. The general idea is that if a sire possesses a 

 quality which is absent in the dam, the offspring, in 

 accordance with laws hitherto unexplained, will 

 certainly derive that quality. We shall not attempt to 

 argue that this is impossible, but feel at liberty to quote 

 from experience^ and state unhesitatingly whether the 

 desirable qualification is, or is not handed down, it is 

 quite certain, if there are serious defects they will be 

 assuredly transmitted to the offspring. All men of 

 shrewd character and experience in these matters are 

 thoroughly well agreed on the point that half a dozen 

 excellent qualities in the sire will not dissipate or neu- 

 tralise one bad one in the dam. Whatsoever, therefore, 

 we desire in the offspring, we must assure ourselves are 

 to be found in the parents, whether it be soundness 

 of constitution, perfection in form, action, etc, and when 

 these are present, closeness of consanguinity will unerr- 

 ingly perpetuate them. On the other hand, all the 

 desirable qualifications may be found in two strange 

 animals ; if so, there is no reason why they should not 

 be mated. This is the simple law of the question. 



The most celebrated breeders in past years were Lords 

 Yarborough, Fitzwilliam, and Faversham ; the Honour- 

 able Grandey Berkeley; Mr. Jennings, of Pickering, 

 Yorkshire; Mr. Cowen, of Blaydon-on-Tyne; Mr. Harri- 



