472 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



hunted in the open it was early found to 

 be necessary to have a swift-footed dog, 

 capable of pursuing and pulling down a 

 powerful prey. For this purpose the 

 aborigines of Australia had no doubt em- 

 ployed the Warrigal, but these native 

 dogs were too wild and wilful to be 

 trained successfully by the colonists as a 

 true sporting dog. The Collie, of which 

 many were taken out by the Scots settlers, 

 was, on the other hand, too docile, and a 

 cross was resorted to, the Collie and the 

 Warrigal being mated. 



Experience taught the colonists that to 

 hunt their Collies against kangaroo spoiled 

 them for work among the sheep. They 

 therefore imported Greyhounds and Deer- 

 hounds. They were not scrupulous in the 

 matter of breeding. All that they wanted 

 for a kangaroo drive was a useful hunting 

 dog combining great speed, strength, and 

 pluck, and they crossed their dogs indis- 

 criminately, Collie with Dingo, Deerhound 

 or Mastiff with Greyhound, and any with 

 either ; selecting those which proved strong- 

 est and swiftest, and who ran by nose as 

 well as by sight. In time this interbreeding 

 produced a capable animal of a definite 

 type, which received the name of the 

 Kangaroo hound. 



As a rule they are dark in colour, 

 nearly black, but occasionally br indie ; but 

 black is not desirable, and all coarseness has 

 gradually been bred out, with the result that 

 the Kangaroo hound is now a decided and 

 distinct breed, with certain famous strains 

 that are sought after and that win distinction 

 in their classes at the Colonial shows. In 

 general appearance the dog resembles a 

 heavy Greyhound, with a long, lean head, 

 somewhat broader between the ears than the 

 English dog, and more domed. The ears 

 are fine and smooth, V-shaped, and rather 

 low set, hanging at the sides of the head 

 and never erect. The neck is slender but 

 muscular, and slightly arched. The chest 

 is fairly broad, the back long and strong, 

 and the loins short and arched. The hind- 

 quarters are well developed, very muscular, 

 but not too broad. The fore-legs are straight 

 and strong, and the hind-legs well boned. 



The long and fine tail, which is 'without 

 feather, is carried downward with a slight 

 curl at the tip. The coat is smooth and 

 fine, sometimes coarser on the body, and 

 it may be of any colour rather than black. 

 In height the dog stands from 27 in. to 29 in. 

 at the shoulder, and the average weight is 

 from 65 Ib. to 67 Ib. 



The Kelpie, or Australasian Sheep-dog. 

 Our kin in the Antipodes with their 

 vast stock farms have always set high 

 value on the utility dog, and few of the 

 early settlers from Scotland, bent upon 

 sheep raising, neglected to take with them 

 their Collies as prospective helpmates. But 

 the Australians have been so enterprising 

 as to produce a pastoral dog of their own. 

 The Kelpie, as he is often called, is not 

 perhaps an example of high, scientific breed* 

 ing ; but he is a useful, presentable dog, 

 in whom it is possible to take pride. He 

 is all black in colour, with a straight harsh 

 coat, and he stands from 20 in. to 24 in. 

 in height, his weight averaging 54 Ib. His 

 ears are pricked, and these, with a some- 

 what long muzzle, give his head a resem- 

 blance to that of the Pomeranian. Alto- 

 gether, he is well built and well propor- 

 tioned, and from all accounts he is steadily 

 improving in type. Mr. F. White, of Gee- 

 long, is among the prominent breeders, his 

 Wallace being one of the best seen for some 

 years back. Another breeder of note is 

 Mr. R. Kaleski, of Liverpool, New South 

 Wales, who has recently been endeavouring, 

 with some success, to establish also a breed 

 of cattle-dog which shall meet acceptance 

 as a recognised Australian type. For the 

 Kelpie no strenuous efforts are now re- 

 quired. By the impetus of his own admir- 

 able qualities, he is making headway not 

 only in Victoria and New South Wales, but 

 also in Tasmania and New Zealand. 



The Australian Terrier. Until recently 

 English dog fanciers have been incredulous 

 as to the genuineness of the Australian 

 Terrier, but ocular proof of its existence 

 as a breed has been demonstrated in 

 the importation of some specimens, and 

 evidence has been supported by the forma- 

 tion of the Victorian Australian Terrier 



