130 The Fox Terrier. 



vermin, foulmarts and the like, his ears may be split and 

 his face torn. If scars on the latter do give an appearance 

 of gameness, they do not enhance his beauty, and, after 

 all, the latter goes a long way on the show bench. A 

 commoner and less valuable dog will do the work equally 

 well, and if he be killed or maimed no great loss results 

 to his owner, such as would arise on a champion's 

 destruction. Still he will always kill his rat and hunt his 

 rabbit, and what pleasanter occupation can he have? Now- 

 adays the fox terrier has his chief value as a "show dog," 

 and his breed is not sustained with so much care as formerly 

 for the sole purpose of driving the otter from his hold and 

 the fox from his earth. His money worth is great, he is a 

 pleasing animal as a companion, and, let his detractors say 

 all they can and do what they may, I for one cannot believe 

 that the popularity of the fox terrier is likely to wane — 

 for no dog is healthier and easier to rear, more certain 

 to live to a good old age, and give satisfaction both as 

 companion and guard to his owner and to his owner's 

 goods. His sprightliness and handsomeness have made 

 him a fashionable beauty, his agreeable disposition and 

 good temper enable him to sustain this position and perform 

 his role satisfactorily, and doing so he may well be left for 

 the present. 



Mr. Robert Vicary, who will be recognised as one of our 

 foremost judges and the owner of Vesuvienne, Venio, and 

 other noteworthy terriers, supplies the following interesting 

 notes, and it is gratifying to find the opinions already 

 expressed by me, so fully borne out by him. 



" As you must first catch your hare before you can cook 

 him, so it is necessary, in this case, to look round at those 

 puppies you have at walk, which should be well out in the 



