THE IRISH TERRIER. 



51 



' Banshee,' ' Belle,' etc. It is almost superfluous to speak of Irish tei'riers' 

 pluck ; they are the bull-terriers of the sister Isle ; fea^- is unknown to 

 them ; they are not only plucky as a breed, but individually. 



'* It is their fear-nothing nature that makes them so suitable for use 

 against the larger vermin. There are too many instances of their pluck 

 on record to enumerate them. Mr. W. Graham, v.riting in the • Live 

 Stock Journal,' says : In disposition, the Irish terrier is very tractable, 

 steady at work, and easily kept under command, compared with other 

 breeds possessing the same amount of courage. I am sorry to say they 

 are kept by some parties for fighting purposes. I once went to pur- 

 chase pups, where the man insisted upon my seeing the dam, a champion 

 bitch, dxaw the badger before taking away my purchase; and I knew a 

 prize dog lately killed a badger before his hold could be removed. 

 Again, I know a bitch puppy, under nine months, that killed the first 

 cat she ever saw, and in a very short time. 



" Mr. Galloway writes : My Irish terrier bitch (' Eily O'Connor,' 

 by 'Sporter') jumped into the river Logan to retrieve in the month of 

 January last, at which time the river was half frozen over, when my 

 ' Retriever' refused point blank to go, although he saw the duck drop, 

 and the retriever boasts of England's best blood. 



" RABBITING.- — Looking at them as workmen, rabbiting must first 

 be mentioned. This is their special function, and there are few things 

 I can imagine so enjoyable as a day's ferreting with a couple of Irish 

 terriers. Rely upon it, their quick noses never make a mistake ; they 

 never pass a burrow where a bunny lies, nor do they stop a second at 

 an empty one ; and once the ferret in, bolt the rabbit ever so rapidly, 

 he'll not escape the attention of the wild Irishman waiting outside for 

 him. It is marvelous the pace these dogs go ; their action represents 

 the level sweep of a thoroughbred, and their powerful hind legs propel 

 them forward at an enormous rate. It is only when one sees them at 

 full speed that one can understand the necessity for insisting upon their 

 peculiar build. Hunting in the furze, they fear nothing, but boldly push 

 in through brambles, pricks, etc., that would make a thin-skinned dog 

 yell out with pain. At this work they are superior to the conventional 

 spaniel, who works too slowly and carefully, and his long, thick coat 



