194 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 



uttered by the lady until after the act was completed, when I need scarcely say that 

 eyes and tongue told me that I was rightly served. Anyhow, it was a remarkable 

 coincidence ; but from a long knowledge of the dog I really am inclined to believe 



that Gr knew I was " picking holes in his coat," and resented the injustice 



accordingly. Possibly, as in many human beings, he prides himself most on his 

 only weak point, being absolutely perfect in every other, and not much amiss there. 

 But, irrespective of his obedience to his master's orders, the independent intelligence 

 of the colley is very high, and it is interesting to watch him or some other sheepdog 

 manage a wild sheep which is to be driven against his will in a certain direction. 

 Very frequently the sheep turns round and stands facing the dog, and the natural 

 expectation on the part of a spectator is that the latter would try by barking to 

 make the sheep turn round and progress somewhere. Not so, however ; such a 

 proceeding would inevitably cause a " break away," and the course pursued is to lie 

 quietly down and face the sheep. By this method in a short time the facing is 

 changed to a quiet retreat, or sometimes to a slight backing, when the dog quietly 

 moves a step or two forward and again lies down, till at last, by this kind of coaxing, 

 the weaker animal of the two is quietly managed. In such cases a high degree of 

 intelligence and tact is required which is partly innate and partly acquired from 

 the shepherd by education. As a consequence there must be a due development 

 of brain in the sheepdog, and there must be a disposition to learn and obey the 

 orders given. So clever is the colley that he will not be imposed on for any purpose 

 not evidently useful, and it is seldom that he can be taught to execute tricks for 

 the gratification of idle spectators, although there is no difficulty in getting him 

 to perform them once or twice to please his master. If exhibited beyond this extent 

 he is apt to sulk and refuse to show off ; but when he is wanted to do really useful 

 work, such as is required for the shepherd's purposes, he is untiring, and will go 

 on till utterly exhausted. 



No other dog in this country is so constantly with his master engaged in his 

 proper calling taking the breed as a whole. Occasionally, it is true, pet dogs are 

 as much so, but by no means universally, nor are they even then so frequently 

 employed in carrying out their masters' orders. This naturally increases the 

 intelligence of each individual and reacts on the whole breed ; so that, independently 

 of the constant weeding-out of puppies rendered useless from a want of intelligence, 

 the superiority of the whole variety in mental attributes is easily accounted for. 

 For the same reason, when the pet colley gets old and is submitted to the rebuffs 

 of children or strangers, he is apt to become crusty in temper, and sometimes even 

 savage ; but he is always most affectionate to his master, and no dog seems to be 

 more sincerely repentant when he has done wrong. 



Within the last ten years the colley has become very fashionable as a pet, and 

 his market price has risen from SI. to SQL, or even more for animals good-looking 

 enough to take a prize at our shows. For this kind of colley beauty of form and 

 a brilliant black coat are the chief requisites, and these are greatly aided by the 

 cross with the Gordon setter; that is to say, without any consideration for the 

 purposes to which this dog was originally bred, and is still extensively used. The 



