212 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 



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years old before the feather is shown. The cartilage and skin of the ear should 

 not be thick, but rather thin. Length of ear, from three to four inches. 



4. Neck (value 5). Very muscular, well developed, and strong, showing great 

 power of resistance, being well set into the shoulders. 



5. Body (value 20). Long, strong, and flexible; ribs well sprung and round, 

 chest well developed and let well down between the fore legs ; the back rather low 

 at the shoulder, having a slight downward curve and a corresponding arch over 

 the loins, with a very slight gradual droop from top of loins to root of tail ; both 

 sides of backbone well supplied with muscle. 



6. Tail (value 5). Bather short, say from 8in. to lOin., and covered on the 

 upper side with wiry hair of darker colour than that of the body, the hair on the 

 under side being lighter in colour, and not so wiry, with a nice feather about two 

 inches long, getting shorter as it nears the tip; rather thick at the root, getting 

 thicker for about four inches, then tapering off to a point. It should not be twisted 

 or curled in any way, but should come up with a regular curve like a scimitar, the 

 tip when excited being in a perpendicular line with the root of the tail. It should 

 neither be set on too high nor too low. When not excited it is carried gaily, and a 

 little above the level of the body. 



7. Legs and feet (value 10). The forelegs short, with immense muscular develop- 

 ment and bone, set wide apart, the chest coming well down between them. The feet 

 well formed, and not flat, with very strong brown or dark-coloured claws. Bandy 

 legs and flat feet are objectionable, but may be avoided the bandy legs by the use 

 of splints when first noticed, and the flat feet by exercise, and a dry bed and floor to 

 kennel. The hair on the forelegs and feet of a blue dog should be tan, varying 

 according to the body colour from a rich tan to a pale fawn ; of a mustard dog they 

 are of a darker shade than its head, which is a creamy white. In both colours there 

 is a nice feather, about two inches long, rather lighter in colour than the hair on the 

 fore part of the leg. The hind legs are a little longer than the fore ones, and are set 

 rather wide apart, but not spread out in an unnatural manner, while the feet are 

 much smaller ; the thighs are well developed, and the hair of the same colour and 

 texture as the fore ones, but having no feather or dew claws ; the whole claws 

 should be dark ; but the claws of all vary in shade according to the colour of the 

 dog's body. 



8. Coat (value 5). This is a very important point ; the hair should be about two 

 inches long, that from skull to root of tail a mixture of hardish and soft hair, which 

 gives a sort of crisp feel to the hand. The hard should not be wiry ; the coat is 

 what is termed pily or pencilled. The hair on the under part of the body is lighter 

 in colour and softer than that on the top. The skin on the belly accords with the 

 colour of dog. 



9. Colour (value 5). The colour is pepper or mustard. The pepper colour 

 ranges from a dark bluish black to a light silvery grey, the intermediate shades 

 being preferred, the body colour coming well down the shoulder and hips, gradually 

 merging into the leg colour. The mustards vary from a reddish-brown to a pale 

 fawn, the head being a creamy white, the legs and feet of a shade darker than the 



