102 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 



which dog my experience of the breed is confined, I should say he is too quarrel- 

 some to be companionable, except to those who are fond of repeated impromptu 

 dog fights, and he is admitted to be too impetuous for work on land. England 

 appears to have obtained the cream of the strain, as the above-mentioned English- 

 bred dogs, Doctor and Pat, took the first and second prizes at the Dublin show of 

 1872 ; while young Doctor was first in the champion class at Belfast in 1876, and 

 Mr. Skidmore's sister to Barney divided the puppy prize at the same show. The 

 chief prizes in England have fallen to dogs belonging to Mr. Skidmore, of Nant- 

 wich, Mr. Eobson of Hull, Mr. P. J. D. Lindoe, the Eev. W. J. Mellor, Capt. 

 Montresor, and Mr. Engelbach, all being of the McCarthy strain, while Mr. N. 

 Morton of Ballymena is at the head of the Irish breeders. The dog is readily 

 taught to retrieve, but care must be taken to prevent his impetuosity leading to a 

 " hard mouth." Recently (1882) the breed has deteriorated in England, why I am 

 at a loss to know, and the classes for Irish Spaniels have been almost empty at most 

 shows. 



The points of the breed are as follows : 



POINTS OF THE IRISH WATER SPANIEL. 



Value. 



Head 10 



Face and eyes 10 



Topknot 10 



Ears 10 



40 



Value. 



Chest and shoulders. . . 7| 

 Back and quarters ... 7 

 Legs and feet 10 



25 



Grand Total 100. 



Value. 



Tail 10 



Coat 10 



Colour 10 



Symmetry 5 



36 



1. 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. 



2. 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 eyebrows. 



3. The topJcnot (value 10) is a characteristic of the true breed, and is 

 estimated accordingly. It should fall between and over the eyes in a peaked 

 form. 



4. 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. 



5. Chest and shoulders (value 7|). There is nothing remarkable about these 

 points, which must, nevertheless, be of sufficient dimensions and muscularity. 

 The chest is small compared with most breeds of similar substance. 



