464 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



almost lost, termed the Tweed Irish Water Spaniel, I have tried repeatedly to get information 

 respecting the way it had been produced, but always failed to trace them further than about 

 two generations. But from their appearance, close coat, sparseness of feather, and style of head, 

 I always thought that there was a dash of Bloodhound in their veins, which was strengthened 

 by the fact that when I have bred from them with dogs of the M'Carthy type they have 

 often thrown pups with tan feet, cheeks, and vents. Their heads are, or were, conical, lip s 

 heavily flewed, ears set on Bloodhound-like, whilst they were all light in colour. The second 

 variety, which, I believe, also is nearly extinct, were about twenty inches high, short-legged 

 which, by the way, were often crooked longish-bodied, close-coated, feathered only at the back 

 of the fore-legs, ears short and without feather, looking more like a bad specimen of a liver- 

 coloured Retriever. 



" The third is known as the M'Carthy or south country dog, the gentleman with whose 

 name they stand associated having done much to bring the dog to perfection, and having 

 succeeded in an admirable manner. At the same time, it must be admitted that the head of 

 a good specimen of to-day is far before the coarse truncated muzzle which Mr. M'Carthy's 

 dogs possessed, and which has only been got rid of within the last dozen years. I always 

 thought it gave the dogs a morose and sullen appearance. 



" It has been recently stated in the papers that he is at home when hunting coverts, but 

 the opinion of the late Justin M'Carthy that they do not like strong thorny brakes, although 

 they do not object to open coverts, coincides with my experience of them ; for although 

 their courage will make them dash into the roughest place, their ears, being heavily feathered, 

 catch in the thorns to such an extent that I have seen them unable to extricate themselves ; 

 added to which, they are too big a dog for that work. 



" The dogs of this breed stand usually about twenty-two or twenty-three inches high ; 

 bitches an inch or two inches lower. The head is capacious, giving plenty of brain room ; 

 the forehead is more raised than in most Spaniels. 



"The Face, from the eyes downward, is perfectly smooth; a moustache shows Poodle 

 blood. 



" The Eyes should be a dark rich brown ; not light gooseberry eyes, which are always 

 accompanied by a coat which is yellow rusty-looking when in full feather. 



" The Ears should be about eighteen inches in flesh measuring across the head and 

 from twenty-four to twenty-six inches in hair, from point to point ; but a very good 

 specimen will exceed this. My Old Doctor, when shown at the Crystal Palace for the last 

 time, measured thirty inches. 



" The Top-knot, which is a characteristic feature of the dog, covers the top of the head, 

 falling forward towards the face. But when the hair is lifted up, it should be found at its 

 base to come down to a point above the eyes, instead of right across the forehead like that of 

 a Poodle. 



" The Body should be covered with close curls ; but for several months before moulting 

 time, the curls gradually fall together, until, if the coat is not attended to, it forms thick 

 mats ; whilst if a breeder is wise enough to shear these off, and the new coat is not properly 

 developed, some ignoramus who sees him in this state will at once denounce him in the 

 public press as ' not pure bred,' when a few months before he has been in perfect coat, and in 

 two or three months will again be so. 



" The Fore-legs should be straight, and well feathered all round. The feet of my dogs 

 are very much smaller than we used to see ; I got the small foot in my strain with the Old 



