172 The Fox Terrier. 



bygone days ; and vast indeed was the store from which 

 he drew so many interesting facts connected with their 

 history. One peculiarity of Tip's, however, must not be 

 omitted : on a hunting morning no man on earth could 

 catch him after he had once seen Russell with his top 

 boots on. 



" Nettle, too, a prodigy of courage and sagacity, would 

 follow no one but her master and not even him except the 

 hounds were at his heels, knowing full well that her services 

 were only required in connection with the hunting field. 

 Then there was the one-eyed Nelson, a genius in his way, 

 and in point of valour a worthy namesake of England's 

 immortal hero. Russell had run a fox to ground near 

 Tetcott, the seat of Sir William Molesworth, but tiers of 

 passages one under the other rendered the earth so perfect 

 a honeycomb that the terriers were soon puzzled, nor did 

 the diggers know what line to follow, there was scent 

 everywhere. Nelson at length came out, and at some 

 distance off commenced digging at the greensward. 

 ' Here's the fox,' said Russell, ' under Nelson's nose or 

 I'll forfeit my head.' The dog went in again, and, mark- 

 ing hard and sharp under that very spot, the men broke 

 ground and speedily came upon the fox. Russell then, 

 with his arm bared, drew him forth, and, setting him on 

 his legs, treated his field to as merry a ten minutes 

 over that wild country as man's heart could ever wish to 

 enjoy." 



Terriers bearing credentials so bright and high ought 

 surely to have become more popular than is the case, and, 

 although occasionally one has heard of some show dog with 

 this Devonshire blood on his grandsire's or grandam's side, 

 the stud books do not quite reliably prove such to be the 



