168 



THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 



another, which can far more readily be obtained, and is of comparatively little 

 importance. 



If the dog is to be regarded as useful in himself for any purpose whatever 

 demanding symmetry, by all means value that point accordingly ; but as I do not 

 so regard him for the reasons above given, and as I consider his courage, which 

 depends for its development on that of his brain, as the peculiar attribute of the 

 breed, I must confess that I do not accept this alteration without protest, and I 

 therefore put forth the following scale, in which I have added five points for skull, 

 ]eaving it still lower than the old estimate : 



Value. 



Skull 20 



Stop 5 



Eyes 5 



Ears 5 



Face, upper jaw, and 

 nostrils 5 



40 



PROPOSED SCALE OF POINTS. 



Yalue. 



Chop 5 



Mouth and lower jaw 5 



Neck 5 



Shoulders and chest ... 10 



Back 5 



Tail 5 



35 

 Grand Total 100, 



Yalue. 



Fore legs and feet 5 



Hind legs and feet ... 5 



Size 5 



Coat and colour 5 



Symmetry and action 5 



25 



1. Skull (value 20) should be as large as possible, square in all directions, and 

 the skin covering it well wrinkled. The distance between the eye and ear passage 

 should be considerable. 



2. The stop (value 5), or indentation between the eyes, should be well 

 developed in depth as well as width, and should extend up the skull, or be 

 " well broken up the face," as this is called in canine phraseology. This 

 term is an appropriate one, the conformation giving the animal possessing 

 it an appearance as if his skull was split in two beneath the skin at 

 this part. 



3. The eyes (value 5) should be dark and large, but not too full (" goggle "). 

 Their setting should be straight across, not oblique or fox-like, and should be 

 wide apart. 



4. The ears (value 5) should be small and fine. Three shapes are known, under 

 the names " rose," " button," and " tulip." In the " rose " ear, which is considered 

 by far the best, the tip laps over outwards, showing part of the inside. The 

 " button " shows scarcely anything of the inside, from the tip falling forwards, while 

 the " tulip " stands erect like that of the fox. Many dogs are in the habit of cocking 

 up their rose or button ears into the shape of the tulip when excited ; but this, 

 though objectionable, and sufficient to make a good judge take off a proportionate 

 amount from the allotted value of this point, should not make him estimate them 

 as if they were absolute tulips. In all cases the ears should be set on at the edges 

 of the upper surface of the skull, and not on its top, which gives an unnaturally 

 narrow appearance to the head. 



5. Face, upper jaw, and nostrils (value 5). In the upper jaw there should be no 



