238 Modern Dogs. 



the under jaw, the greater is the degree of character 

 imported to the dog. The ribs should be of great 

 depth and breadth, being well sprung, and should 

 come far down between the fore legs to give ample 

 space for the lungs and heart. The chests of many 

 specimens lately exhibited have been of amazing 

 width, an appearance added to by the immense 

 development of the deltoid muscles, and this is 

 certainly a point in the breed which every owner is 

 anxious to produce even to exaggeration. Unless 

 the shoulder blades are put on low, it is obviously 

 impossible to obtain the desired width across the 

 chest, therefore in good specimens it is found that 

 the tops of the shoulder blades are never touching 

 or even close together. Contrary to what is 

 required in other breeds, the shoulder blades of a 

 bulldog should slope considerably and not be 

 vertical. 



"The belly should be well tucked up, and not 

 pendulous, a small narrow waist being greatly 

 admired, it being a great object to obtain a large 

 circumference just behind the shoulders, and the 

 smallest possible one round the waist, which forms 

 the appearance called ' cut up.' The back rises 

 from behind the shoulders in a graceful curve, which 

 curve reaches its summit over the top of the loins, 

 and thence falls away rapidly to the stern, thus 



