134 The Fox Terrier. 



wondering confab ; how was it ? Well, subsequent 

 inspection of this mighty badger showed that he was 

 toothless, save for a much worn -pair of 'holders.' 



" I had news of a badger in a fox earth one day, and 

 arranged with some hunting friends to come and dislodge 

 the gentleman. Punctually at the time named I put in 

 Victor Chief, there being room for but one terrier at a 

 time to work. My friends on their arrival, twenty-five 

 minutes late, were introduced to the ' grey gentleman in a 

 sack/ much to their surprise. 



" Victor Chief was the very best terrier at badger work 

 under or above ground I ever saw or heard of. A good- 

 looking dog, he was winner of several first prizes, and his 

 pedigree goes back through Mr. Chaworth Musters's Old 

 Victor, to Trumps, Tyrant, Moss, and Foiler on his sire's 

 (Young Victor) side. Whilst on that of his dam Vice, the 

 blood of Old Trap, Trumps Again, Tartar, Fairy II., Belvoir 

 Jock, Branson's Nettle, with old Jock and Grove Nettle, is to 

 be found. No wonder, then, that with such an ancestry both 

 the spirit and the flesh were willing and able to do or die 

 whenever occasion offered. Lancer was almost fully as 

 good, both game to the death, as were a score I could 

 enumerate, but in no terrier have I found the pluck, intelli- 

 gence, and enormous endurance combined as in Victor 

 Chief. Vice, his dam, was the next best to these. Village 

 Belle, Vedette. Velasquez, Spiteful, by Old Sam, mentioned 

 already, Veni, Belgrave Dinah, Virginia, Boaster, oWn 

 brother to Buffett, were all terriers that have won on the 

 show bench and which I have seen at work and proved as 

 ' good as gold.' 



" As regards many of our show terriers of the present 

 time, 'in-breeding' and lack of opportunity have done much 



