THE DOG. 57 



The Irish water-spaniels found in this country are almost exclu- 

 sively of the McCarthy breed, from the south of Ireland, which 

 Stonehenge says, " may be considered the type of Irish water- 

 spaniel, and his description ... is the standard by which the breed 

 is judged." The description is as follows : 



"The head (value 10) is by no means long, with very little 

 brow, but moderately wide. It is covered with curls, rather longer 

 and more open than those of the body, nearly to the eyes, but not 

 so as to be wigged like the poodle. 



" The face and eyes (value 10) are very peculiar. Face very 

 long and quite bare of curl, the hair being short and smooth, 

 though not glossy ; nose broad, and nostrils well developed ; teeth 

 strong and level; eyes small and set almost flush, without eye- 

 brows. 



"The topknot (value 10) is characteristic of the true breed, and 

 is estimated accordingly. It should fall between and over the eyes 

 in a peaked form. 



" The ears (value 10) are long, the leather extending, when drawn 

 forward, a little beyond the nose, and the curls with which they are 

 clothed two or three inches beyond. The whole of the ears is 

 thickly covered with curls, which gradually lengthen towards the 

 tips. 



" Chest and shoulders (value 7J). There is nothing remarkable 

 about these points, which must nevertheless be of sufficient dimen- 

 sions and muscularity. The chest is small compared with most 

 breeds of similar substance. 



" The back and quarters (value 7J) also have no peculiarity, but 

 the stifles are almost always straight, giving the appearance of 

 legginess. 



" Legs and feet (value 10). The legs should be straight, and 

 the feet large, but strong ; the toes are somewhat open, and covered 

 with short crisp curls. In all dogs of this breed the legs are 

 thickly clothed with short curls, slightly pendent behind and at 

 the sides, and some have them all round, hanging in ringlets for 

 ome time before the annual shedding. No feather like that of 



