94 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



tional disposal of a noted kennel than that 

 which was witnessed when Mr. Newby 

 Wilson relinquished his interest in this breed, 

 for both Acrobat and Berolina were bought 

 bj- Mr. E. T. Parker, of Bristol, for less than 

 ten pounds each. To-day such specimens 

 would realise at least eight or ten times 

 the amount. Mr. Parker's opinion of the 

 merits of these dogs turned out to be very 



MRS. F. W. BEDWELLS RUGBY BUCKSHOT 



BY JACK HYTHE ROSE. 



BRED BY DR. MURDOCH. 



correct, for Ch. Acrobat has done more 

 than any otlier indi^'idual dog to bring 

 the Dalmatian to its present state of 

 perfection, such celebrated champions as 

 Moujik, Primrose, Defender. Challenger, 

 and Ribblesdale Beauty owning him as 

 tlieir sire. 



Among the principal exhibitors no one 

 has had a longer or more successful career 

 than Mrs. J. C. Preston, of Ellel, near 

 Lancaster, who has not only won more 

 prizes than any other exhibitor of Dal- 

 matians, but has also obtained the highest 

 prices which have been paid for good speci- 

 mens, which is not surprising when it is 

 known that Mrs. Preston relied on such 

 famous stock as that of Champions Moujik, 

 Primrose, Defender, Pearlette, and Lord 

 Quex, and the remarkably good-coloured 

 liver-spotted dog, Ch. President, who. with 



Pearlette, was sold to Mr. Macklay, of New 

 York, quite recently at a figure which 

 constituted a record for the variety. 



In his day no Dalmatian of his colour 

 could approach Mr. Herman's Ch. Fontleroy, 

 and it is questionable whether any of the 

 variety has been quite so distinguished 

 for the imiformity of the size and 

 very even distribution of his markings, 

 which are such essential attributes of the 

 perfect Dalmatian. Mrs. Bedwell has also 

 tlone much towards making the breed 

 ix.ipular, and has consistently proffered 

 unstinted support to such show societies 

 as are willing to give anything hke a reason- 

 able classification. Mrs. Bedwell owns many 

 notable examples, including Champions 

 Rugby Bridget and Rugby Brunette, all of 

 tliem being known by the " Rugby " prefix. 

 ^Ir. and Mrs. Braithwaite, of Warton, Cam- 

 forth, Dr. XMieeler-O'Bryen, and Mr. J. 

 Dawson, of Preston — who possesses Superba 

 and Partington, two famous winners — are 

 also among the eminent owners and breeders 

 who have succeeded in maintaining and 

 improving the quality of the Dalmatian. 

 Probably no owner has contributed more to 

 the revival of public interest in the breed 

 than the President of the North of England 

 Club, Mr. William Proctor, of Sale, Cheshire. 

 He has, during tlie last five or six years, 

 exhibited fearlessly, is one of the most 

 popular dog judges, and is at present the 

 owner of what may be considered the 

 best bitch that ever was benched— Ch. 

 Balette. who within eighteen months has 

 won a hundred First prizes without ha\nng 

 once suffered defeat. 



This breed ne\"er attained such a hold 

 on the favour of the public as it did when 

 Mr. William Whittaker, of Bolton, was the 

 Honorary Secretary of the parent club, 

 for neither before nor since have so many 

 entries been recorded at the shows. Unfor- 

 tunately the state of his health demanded 

 his retirement from active participation 

 in what was to him a congenial pastime 

 as well as a source of great benefit to others ; 

 but this misfortune could not entirely 

 deter him from taking an interest in the 

 spotted dog, for he still has one or two 



