THE BULLDOG. 



39 



it is obser\-ed that since the decline of such 

 sports, Bulldogs have diminished in num- 

 ber — an instance whence we may learn 

 how much the efforts of mankind operate 

 on the domesticated genera of the animal 

 kingdom. 



" The internal changes which determine 

 the external characteristics of this dog 

 consist in a great development of the 

 frontal sinuses, a development which elevates 

 the bones of the forehead above the nose, 

 and which leads in the same direction the 

 cerebral ca^^t3^ But the most important 

 change, and that, perhaps, which causes 

 all the others, although we cannot perceive 

 the connexion, is the diminution of the 

 brain. The cerebral capacitj'^ of the Bull- 

 dog is sensibly smaller than in any other 

 race, and it is doubtless to the decrease 

 of the encephalon that we must attribute 

 its inferiority to all others in everything 

 relating to inteUigence. The Bulldog is 

 scarcely capable of any education, and is 

 fitted for nothing but combat and ferocity. 

 A fifth toe is occasionally' found more or 

 less developed on the hind feet of this race. 

 This, hke all other races far removed from 

 the primitive type, is difficult of repro- 

 duction. Their hfe, also, is short, though 

 their de\elopment is slow, they scarcely 

 acquire maturity imder eighteen months, 

 and at five or six years show signs of de- 

 crepitude." 



The commencement of the dog-show era 

 in 1859 enabled classes to be pro\-ided for 

 Bulldogs, and a fresh incentive to breed 

 them was offered to the dog fancier. In 

 certain districts of the countrj-, notably 

 in London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Man- 

 chester, and Dudle3% a number of fanciers 

 resided, and it is to their efforts that we 

 are indebted for the varied specimens of the 

 breed that are to be seen on the modem 

 show bench. 



Amongst others in this connection may 

 be mentioned Messrs. J. W. Berrie, of 

 Tooting ; T. Verinder, J. Ashbume, B. White, 

 \V. George, C. Aistrop, P. Rust, and 

 H. Layton, of London ; G. W. Richards, 

 F. Lamphier, and T. Turton, of Sheffield ; 

 J. Lamphier, J. Hinks, and F. Reeves, of 



Birmingham ; J. Henshall and Peter Eden, 

 of Manchester ; and A. Clay, of Wolver- 

 hampton ; several of whom are still li\'ing. 



One of the first specimens, if not actually 

 the first, exhibited which was worthy of 

 the name of Bulldog, belonged to Mr. James 

 Hinks, of Birmingham. He was a white 

 dog, and gained the first prize at Birming- 

 ham in i860. He was priced for sale at 

 ten guineas. 



In 1864, at the Agricultural Hall in 

 London, forty Bulldogs were on exhibition, 

 and Mr. Jacob Lamphier, of Soho Street, 

 Birmingham, won the first prize with his 

 celebrated dog Champion King Dick, who 

 was by Tommy ex Slut. This dog was 

 48 lbs. in weight, and a red smut in colour, 

 and is admitted to have been one of the 

 best Bulldogs that ever hved. He was 

 bom in 1858, and died when eight years 

 of age, a few days after the demise of his 

 master. 



As a proof — if any were needed — of the 

 devotion, fideUty, and affection of the 

 Bulldog, the following account of the death 

 of this grand dog will be read with interest. 



Mr. Lamphier was afflicted with con- 

 sumption, and at intervals, during the 

 last tweh^e months of his life, was confined 

 to his room. King Dick, being a great 

 fa\^urite, was his constant companion. 

 In April, 1866, Mr. Lamphier died. Dick 

 was at the time confined to the yard, and 

 continued to be so until after the funeral. 

 The first day he was let loose he instantly 

 rushed upstairs into his master's room and 

 made straight for the easy chair in which 

 his master used to sit, but it was vacant ; 

 he put his paws on the bed, looked under 

 it, rushed backwards and forwards crying 

 piteously, ran to a back room which he 

 searched thoroughly ; coming back, he 

 went to the chair and bed again. Miss 

 Lamphier, who was in the room, tried to 

 comfort him, but without success ; he 

 lay down on the rug before the fire, and 

 never seemed to hft his head up again. 

 No caress, no endearments, could rouse 

 him. He refused all food that was offered 

 to him, and it was with great difficulty 

 that he was drenched with some beef tea. 



