THE WHITE ENGLISH TERRIER. 



321 



the Queen's side a terrier that is undoubtedly 

 of this type. The dog has slight brown or 

 brindle markings on the back, as many 

 English White Terriers have, and it is to 

 be presumed that it is of the breed from 

 which this variety is descended. 



Apart from colour there is not a great 

 difference between the White English Terrier 

 and the Manchester Black-and-tan. But 

 although they are of similar shape and 

 partake much of the same general character, 

 yet there is the distinction that in the black- 

 and-tan the conservation of type is stronger 

 and more noticeable than in the white, in 

 which the correct shape and action are 

 difficult to obtain. It ought naturally to 

 be easier to breed a pure white dog from 

 white parents than to breed correctly 

 marked and well tanned puppies from perfect 

 black-and-tans ; but the efforts of many 

 breeders do not seem to support such a 

 theory in connection with the English 

 Terrier, whose litters frequently show the 

 blemish of a spot of brindle or russet. These 

 spots usually appear behind the ears or on 

 the neck, and are of course a disfigurement 

 on a dog whose coat to be perfect should 

 be of an intense and brilliant white. It 

 appears to be equally difficult to breed one 

 which, while having the desired purity of 

 colour, is also perfect in shape and terrier 

 character. It is to be noted, too, that many 

 otherwise good specimens are deaf a fault 

 which seriously militates against the dog's 

 possibilities as a companion or as a watch. 

 It is commonly believed that almost all 

 animals artificially bred to whiteness are 

 liable to this infirmity, and the alleged 

 deafness of the English White Terrier 

 would seem to indicate albinoism, con- 

 genital weakness, and a natural lack of 

 stamina. 



It is to be questioned, therefore, whether 

 the fanciers of this breed were wholly wise 

 in their objection to coloured markings. 

 Forty years ago the coloured, parti-colcured, 

 or even brindled English Terrier stood a 

 good chance of taking a prize at the public 

 shows at which they were exhibited in 

 competition, and these are said to have been 

 much hardier dogs than their descendants 



41 



of the present day. Here we have an 

 instance of the mistake so often made by 

 breeders in striving to breed up to an artificial 

 ideal. Idstone was of opinion that the 

 coloured specimens rejected in favour of the 

 pure white were decidedly the better dogs, 

 and that it was these who formed the founda- 

 tion of the breed now commonly received 

 as the Fox-terrier. 



MARY OF MODENA, 



WITH A SMOOTH-COATED TERRIER. 

 FROM THE PAINTING BY W. WISSING, 167O, 

 IN THE NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERV. 

 Photograph by Emery Walker. 



Birmingham and Manchester were the 

 localities in which the English Terrier was 

 most popular forty years ago, but it was 

 Mr. Frederick White, of Clapham, who 

 bred all the best of the white variety and 

 who made it popular in the neighbourhood 

 of London. His terriers were of a strain 

 founded by a dog named King Dick, and 

 in 1863 he exhibited a notable team in 

 Laddie, Fly, Teddie, and Nettle. Mr. S. E. 

 Shirley, M.P., was attracted to the breed, 

 and possessed many good examples, as also 

 did the Rev. J. W. Mellor and Mr. J. H. 

 Murchison. Mr. Alfred Benjamin's Silvio 

 was a prominent dog in 1877. 



Silvio was bred by Mr. James Roocroft, 



