SECOND PERIOD : GEORGE III. 99 



and heicrhts of race-horses had become, on the 

 whole, pretty much what we are now accustomed 

 to, though grays and roans were rather more 

 plentiful ; but in the earlier half of the reign 

 there were still some ' funny ' colours, as the 

 famous Yellow Filly, by Tandem, and a piebald 

 filly (also, however, called roan) by Highflyer, 

 and duns in abundance will testify, though, with 

 the exception of the Yellow Filly (frequently 

 designated the Perdita Filly), they are not found 

 among winners of the great races, and were pro- 

 bably traceable to the various Arabians, whereof 

 the Vernon (Mr. 'Jockey' Vernon's) Arabian 

 alone has left any notable mark in the pedigrees. 



The nomenclature of race-horses during the 

 long reign of ' Farmer George ' seems to have 

 shown a tendency towards gradual improvement 

 in point of decency, or at any rate a disposition to 

 wrap up impropriety * sandwich-like,' as an ex- 

 pert once observed, in a foreign and even dead 

 language (witness Cul Blanc, Melampygus, Pu- 

 denda, and Filho da Puta, which worthy Mr. 

 Crofts would most certainly have expressed in 

 plainer and blunter terms of unmistakable Eng- 

 lish), and to have taken a turn rather towards 



