126 Forty Years Beagling 



general make-up? To be kind, I should say that 

 the judge did not know what he did want, and that 

 while recognizing the value of certain points, he 

 recognized them individually, and not as he should 

 do collectively. One could scribble on this track 

 till the end of your valuable paper, but I really do 

 believe that some of our judges should be taught 

 a realization of the importance of the duties they 

 assume, and the power they have to make or mar 

 a breed. Perhaps some judges may ask me what 

 I would do with a class of dogs, none of which 

 really came up to standard requirements, but were 

 not bad enough to turn out of the ring. Beyond 

 admitting that sometimes judges are misunder- 

 stood when they face such a troublous condition, I 

 will excuse myself." 



Then Mr. Pottinger Dorsey of New Market, 

 Maryland, opens the 1896 season in the American 

 Stock-Keeper on the damage done the beagle breed 

 due to the bench-show craze in the following words : 

 "Re the marked improvement of the beagle of to- 

 day in 'Beagle Gossip,' published in your issue of 

 January 4th, I think this subject may be reviewed 

 from two standpoints. From the one from which 

 I view it the beagles of today (as a rule) are just 

 recovering from the great injury they have re- 

 ceived from the bench-show craze. I forewarned 



