320 Modem Dogs. 



Mr. J. W. Watts, of Birmingham, owns perhaps 

 the best dogs of this race I at present know, in 

 Prince Lily White and Flossie ; but these dogs do 

 not reach the perfection of such specimens as 

 Hugh and Fido, already mentioned, their coats 

 being neither so good in texture nor so perfectly 

 white as the past champions of their race. Mr. 

 Jacobs, of Headington Quarry, near Oxford, at 

 times shows two or three very good specimens, 

 some of which are of Mrs. Bligh Monk's strain. 



The unpopularity of the Maltese dog must be 

 ascribed to the difficulty in breeding him to perfec- 

 tion, and the trouble which follows to keep the coat 

 in order. The latter requires brush and comb two 

 or three times a day, washing not too often but just 

 often enough, and their jackets are of such a length 

 that it actually ruins them and spoils the dog if 

 exercise is given in dirty weather, or if when out they 

 get caught in a shower. They are just such dainty 

 creatures as the indolent women of the Roman 

 period would cherish and fondle, but are scarcely 

 likely to be popularised in our more matter-of-fact 

 days. They had the reputation of being ferocious 

 and bad tempered. Now such cannot be said of 

 them, though they are somewhat more inclined 

 to be snappish with strangers than are other pet 

 dogs. 



