146 DOGS AND ALL ABOUT THEM 



whole, the following may be taken as an all-round 

 description : 



General Appearance That of a smart, active, clean-cut and alert 

 dog, full of go and fire a sportsman from stem to stern. Head Long 

 and not weedy in the muzzle, nor thick and coarse in the skull, but 

 tapering down and finishing with a stout broad muzzle. Skull Should 

 be flat and moderately broad between the ears, which are rather small, 

 and well covered with hair. Ears Should lie close to the side of the 

 head, but not dead in their carriage. Face The face should be smooth, 

 and any indication of a forelock should be penalised. Eye The eye 

 should in all cases be dark and not too deeply set. Neck Well placed 

 in the shoulders and nicely arched, of moderate length and yet powerful 

 and free from throatiness. Shoulders Well laid back and as free from 

 massiveness as possible, though there is a decided tendency in this 

 variety to such a fault. Legs Straight and well covered with coat. 

 The bone should show quality and yet be fairly abundant. Feet 

 Compact and hound-like. Body Should show great power, with deep, 

 well-rounded ribs. As little cut-up in the flank as possible. Tail 

 Strong at the base, set on in a line with the back and tapering to a 

 point, the size of the curls upon it diminishing gradually to the end. 

 Hind-quarters Should show great development of muscle, with bent 

 hocks, the lower leg being strong and the hind feet compact. Any 

 suspicion of cow hocks should be heavily penalised. Colour Mostly 

 a dull black. Some liver-coloured dogs are seen with very good coats 

 and bodies, but their heads are generally thick and coarse, and the colour 

 of their eyes does not always match, as it should do, with the colour of 

 the coat. A few dogs of this colour have achieved distinction on the 

 show bench. 



THE LABRADOR 



Within recent years the original smooth-coated Labrador 

 dog has taken its place as a recognised variety of the Retriever 

 and become prominent both at exhibitions and as a worker. 

 It is not probable that any have been imported into England for 

 the past quarter of a century, but without the assistance of 

 shows or imported blood they have survived marvellously. 

 Thanks especially to the kennels of such breeders as the 

 Dukes of Buccleuch and Hamilton, the Earl of Verulam, 

 Lords Wimborne, Home, and Malmesbury, the Hon. A. 

 Holland Hibbert, Sir Savile Crossley, Mr. F. P. Barnett, 

 Mr. C. Liddell, Mr. O. L. Mansel, and others equally 

 enthusiastic. 



To the Duke of Buccleuch 's kennel we are probably more 

 indebted in the last twenty years than to any other. Its 



