198 Modern Dogs. 



the progeny of the best parents, without a fairly 

 marked puppy in the lot. Some turn out too dark, 

 others too light ; one may have heavy black ears, 

 another may, when fully grown, look as if a huge 

 bottle of ink had been emptied over him, and there 

 does not appear to be any rule or guide by which 

 to breed for perfect markings. 



In poultry, something towards breeding for 

 markings alone, can be done, as is the case with 

 the black and white Hamburgs, silver spangled 

 and silver pencilled. To get perfectly marked 

 pullets you breed from one strain, to obtain equally 

 good cockerels you breed from another. There 

 does not appear to be any such rule with regard 

 to the spotted dog, and in most cases when a good 

 one is produced it is by a sheer fluke. 



Another thing against his popularity is that it is 

 hardly possible to tell when the puppies are born, 

 nor for long after, how they will be marked when 

 fully matured. For instance, they usually come into 

 the world white. Occasionally some are thus early 

 marked with faint spots, or black ears, or both ; but 

 this is not as things ought to be in a specimen 

 that is expected to turn out perfect. About the 

 tenth day after birth, the spots commence to make 

 themselves apparent. There is a dark ridge along 

 the belly, the ears blacken, the back becomes 



