IOO 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



enjoyed such an experience on the farm of 

 Mr. Mitchell, of Henderland, purely a sheep 

 farm, carrying a hundred score of black- 

 faced sheep. Here three shepherds were 

 employed, each having two dogs, usually 

 a good one and a bad one, or say a moderate 

 one. The photograph on page 98 was 

 taken on a clipping day. The best of the 

 four dogs is the one standing Tweed, a 



MR. JAMES SCOTT'S KEP, 



ONE OF THE MOST PERFECT WORKING 



COLLIES IN SCOTLAND. 



Photograph by Monk, Preston. 



descendant of the famous breed kept by 

 the Ettrick Shepherd. Tweed is a dark, 

 fox-coloured sable with a sensible head, and, 

 like many of his kind, with one white or 

 merle eye and the other hazel. Bess, the 

 black and white lying in the centre, is of 

 good stamp and a determined worker, 

 but o" strange temperament. All four are 

 smooth Collies and in the pink of condition. 

 It is a pleasure to see how quickly these 

 dogs can climb their way up the heathery 

 hillside, and to note, when they are beyond 

 the sound of call or whistle, how they will 

 watch with eagerness for the semaphore 

 signal given by the shepherd's directing 

 hand. A Collie standing on an eminence 

 watching the sheep is one of the most 

 picturesque of figures. 



Burns, like his fellow-poet James Hogg, 

 knew the qualities of a good Collie. No 

 better description is given in a few words 

 than that which he wrote in " The Twa 

 Dogs' : 



" He was a gash an' faithfu' tyke 

 As ever lap a sheugh or dyke. 

 His honest, sonsie, baws'nt face, 

 Ay gat him friends in ilka place ; 

 His breast was white, his touzie back 

 Weel clad wi' coat o' glossy black ; 

 His gawcie tail, wi' upward curl, 

 Hung o'er his hurdies wi' a swirl." 



Little is known with certainty of the 

 origin of the Collie, but his cunning and 

 his outward appearance would seem to 

 indicate a relationship with the wild dog. 

 Buffon was of opinion that he was the 

 true dog of nature, the stock and model 

 of the whole canine species. He considered 

 the Sheepdog superior in instinct and 

 intelligence to all other breeds, and that, 

 with a character in which education has 

 comparatively little share, he is the only 

 animal born perfectly trained for the ser- 

 vice of man. Certainly no dog shows in 

 the expression of his face more kindness, 

 more sagacity, or more alert eagerness. 

 Peculiarly shy in disposition, the Collie 

 is slow to make friends with strangers ; 

 but once he gains confidence under proper 

 treatment, his attachment surpasses that 

 of any other animal. He is thoroughly 

 devoted to his master, and happiest when 

 engaged in helping him among the sheep ; 

 work in which he is most painstaking and 

 honest. 



It has often been stated that the Collie 

 is a treacherous dog. He is nothing of 

 the kind, or I have never found him so. 

 On the contrary, he is, in my opinion, of 

 all dogs the most faithful. It may be 

 said of him, however, that he is disposed 

 to concentrate his affections upon one 

 person rather than to lavish it upon many. 



One of the most handsome and sagacious 

 Collies I ever saw was a black, tan and 

 white one belonging to a Cumberland pig 

 dealer. This dog was bred out of an old 

 black and white working bitch by a well- 

 bred black, tan and white sire of the 

 old Ch. Ringleader stamp. He stood 

 26 inches at the shoulder, had always a 

 beautiful jet black coat with a heavy 

 mane, and, though weighing over a hundred- 

 weight, was most active on his legs. He 



