THE DALMATIAN. 



95 



MR. j. c. PRESTON'S CH. DEFENDER 



BY CH. ACROBAT TEXAM. 



Photograph by Hignett ami Son, Lostock. 



about him from which he breeds to supply 

 those who are younger and more active, 

 and can therefore stand the hustle of 

 making long railway journeys to attend 

 exhibitions. 



In appearance the Dalmatian should be 

 very similar to a Pointer save and except 

 in head and marking. Still, though not so 

 long in muzzle nor so pen- 

 dulous in lip as a Pointer, 

 there should be no coarse- 

 ness or common look about 

 the skull, a fault which is 

 much too prevalent. Then, 

 again, some judges do not 

 attach sufficient importance 

 to the eyelids, or rather 

 sears, which should invari- 

 ably be edged round with 

 black or brown. Those 

 which are flesh-coloured in 

 this particular should be 

 discarded, however good 

 they may be in other re- 

 spects. The density and 

 pureness of colour, in both 

 blacks and browns, is of 

 great importance, but should 

 not be permitted to out- 

 weigh the evenness of the 



distribution of spots on the 

 body ; no black patches, or 

 even mingling of the spots, 

 should meet with favour, 

 any more than a ring-tail 

 or a clumsy-looking, heavy- 

 shouldered dog should com- 

 mand attention. 



The darker - spotted va- 

 riety usually prevails in 

 a cross between the two 

 colours, the offspring very 

 seldom having the liver- 

 coloured markings. The un- 

 initiated may be informed 

 that Dalmatian puppies are 

 always born pure white. 

 The clearer and whiter they are the better 

 they are likely to be. There should not 

 be the shadow of a mark or spot on them. 

 When about a fortnight old, however, 

 they generally develop a dark ridge on the 

 belly, and the spots will then begin to 

 show themselves ; first about the neck and 

 ears, and afterwards along the back, until 

 at about the sixteenth day the markings 

 are distinct over the body, excepting only 

 the tail, which frequently remains white 

 for a few weeks longer. 



MRS. BEDWELL'S CH. RUGBY BRUNETTE. 



Photograph by Russell. 



