The Irish Water Spaniel. 419 



follows : ' Top-knot should fall well over the eyes/ 

 Now, from such a description, one, I take it, would 

 be satisfied if the top-knot came over the dog's 

 eyes and was cut off quite square or straight across 

 the face, as it is seen to-day on some of our chief 

 prize winners. Such a top-knot I think wrong, and it 

 always reminds me of the poodle's wig. The 

 top-knot in a good specimen falls * between ' and 

 over the eyes in a ' peaked ' form, and not across 

 the eyes or face, like a poodle's. 



11 Years ago light eyes were looked upon as a bad 

 fault. Judges often put such specimens back, and 

 the critics noted the fault in their reports, but 

 to-day the amber-coloured eye is almost fashionable. 

 Anyhow, many of the principal winners have amber- 

 coloured eyes, and such are recognised by the 

 spaniel clubs. What, in fact, years ago, was one of 

 the most objectionable points in the breed, is now, to 

 a certain extent, allowed. That this altered state of 

 things will last I do not believe, as I am quite certain, 

 although the ' amber '-coloured eye is recognised 

 by several influential breeders and exhibitors, it 

 is not liked by 25 per cent, of the breeders of Irish 

 water spaniels throughout England and Ireland. And 

 of one thing i am positive, the amber eye will now 

 take a lot of getting rid of in the breed, and the 

 longer it is allowed the more will this variety of 



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