196 THE DOGS OF THE BRITISH ISLANDS. 



unsocial temper, disdaining all flattery, and refusing to be caressed; "but," he 

 says, " his attention to my commands and interests will never again be equalled by 

 any of the canine race." Such is the colley of the present day of the type I 

 describe, and the colour attributed to Sirrah by Hogg was " almost black, with a 

 grim face striped with dark brown;" and here, allowing for the language of a 

 shepherd belonging to a class whose notions are likely to be indefinite in their idea 

 of colour, the true colley colour is described with as much accuracy as can be 

 expected. The black was a bad black, and the tan rather brown, not the rich tan of 

 the Gordon type. 



With this general description of the colley, I now proceed to analyse his points, 

 the numerical estimate of which I allot as follows. 



POINTS OF THE COLLET, ROUGH AS WELL AS SMOOTH. 



Value. 



Head 10 



Muzzle 5 



Ears and eyes 5 



Shoulders 7 



Value. 



Chest 7J 



Loin 10 



Legs 10 



Feet 10 



37* 



Grand Total 100. 



Value. 



Coat 15 



Colour 10 



Tail 5 



Symmetry 5 



35 



1. The head (value 10), which resembles that of the fox, should be wide 

 between the ears, tapering towards the eyes, which are in consequence set rather 

 close together. The top of the head is flat, and there is little or no occipital 

 protuberance, and a very slightly raised brow ; but the facial line is not absolutely 

 straight. The volume of brain is considerable, and the skull looks smaller 

 than it really is, in consequence of the amount of frill in which the occiput is 

 embedded. 



2. The muzzle (value 5) is very tapering and lean, teeth strong and even, 

 and the muscles of the jaw well developed. The whole face is covered with very 

 short hair. 



3. The ears and eyes (value 5). The ears are small and pricked, but turn over 

 at the top outwards and slightly forwards, with very short hair clothing them. 

 The eyes are set rather close together, and somewhat obliquely, giving a foxy look 

 to the dog characteristic of the colley in common with the Spitz or Pomeranian dog, 

 which resembles him in many other particulars. They are of medium size, and 

 generally of a brown colour. 



4. The shoulders (value 7|) must be oblique and muscular, as the dog has to 

 carry himself without falling over all sorts of ground, and often to stop himself 

 when going down hill at full speed. 



5. The chest (value 7|) is moderately wide, but should have the necessary 

 volume in depth rather than width, on account of the activity required, which a 

 very wide chest interferes with, giving a rolling heavy action unfitted for sheep 

 tending. 



