47 Modern Dogs. 



Gillett, of Hull ; Dr. W. W. Boulton, of Beverley, 

 who all took great pains to sustain the excellence of 

 the black spaniel, and even to improve its appear- 

 ance. That they did the latter I scarcely believe, 

 and such dogs as Nellie, already mentioned, Old Bob 

 and Flirt, her kennel companions, have, at any rate, 

 never been excelled, maybe never equalled. 



With an increase in the weight of the dog, crooked 

 legs began to prevail, and they in time became so 

 common as to be overlooked by the judges, and a 

 dog called Beverlac, though very bad in this parti- 

 cular, in his day won no end of prizes ; he was about 

 54-lb. in weight, and thus too big. 



More recently Mr. T. Jacobs, of Newton Abbot, 

 began to put in an appearance at our dog shows, 

 and proved so successful at Birmingham and else- 

 where as to almost take all the prizes on several 

 occasions, and sold some of his dogs for enormous 

 sums. One bitch went to Mr. M. Woolland for 

 ^250 ; this was Bridford Perfection, whose sire 

 and dam had both been bred by Mr. Jacobs. She 

 was of great length and lowness on her legs ; her 

 head was very good indeed, but personally I never 

 liked her shoulders. Some judges pronounced her 

 the best spaniel ever bred, and at the time I am 

 writing this, although often brought out at the best 

 shows, she has not been beaten. 



