THE IRISH TERRIER. 



371 



legs should be moved straight forward when trav- 

 elling, the stifles not turned outwards, the legs 

 free of feather, and covered, like the head, with 

 as hard a texture of coat as body, but not so 

 long. 



13. Coat. — Hard and wiry, free of softness or 

 silkiness, not so long as to hide the outlines of the 

 body, particularly in the hindquarters, straight 

 and flat, no shagginess, and free of lock or curl. 



14. Colour. — Should be •■ whole coloured," the 

 most preferable being bright red, red, wheaten, 

 or yellow^ red. White sometimes appears on chest 

 and feet ; it is more objectionable on the latter 

 than on the chest, as a speck of white on chest is 

 frequently to be seen in all self-coloured breeds. 



15. Size and Symmetry. — The most desirable 

 weight in show condition is, for a dog 24 lb., and 

 for a bitch 22 lb. The dog must present an active, 

 lively, lithe, and wiry 



appearance ; lots of 

 substance, at the 

 same time free of 

 clumsiness, as specti 

 and endurance, as 

 well as power, are 

 very essential. They 

 must be neither 

 cloddy nor cobby, 

 but should be framed 

 on the lines of speed, 

 showing a graceful 

 racing outline. 



16. Temperament. 

 — Dogs that arc ver>' 

 game are usually 

 surly or snappish. 

 The Irish Terrier as 

 a breed is an excep- 

 tion, being remark- 

 ably good-tempered, 

 notably so with man- 

 kind, it being admit- 

 ted, however, that 



he is perhaps a little too ready to resent inter- 

 ference on the part of other dogs. There is a 

 heedless, reckless pluck about the Irish Terrier 

 which is characteristic, and, coupled with the 

 headlong dash, blind to all consequences, with 

 which he rushes at his adversary, has earned 

 for the breed the proud epithet of '■ The Dare- 

 De\-ils." When "off duty " they are characterised 

 by a quiet, caress-inviting appearance, and when 

 one sees them endearingly, timidly pushing their 

 heads into their masters' hands, it is difficult to 

 realise that on occasions, at the " set on," they 

 can pro\-e they have the courage of a lion, and will 

 fight unto the last breath in their bodies. They 

 develop an extraordinar%' devotion to and have 

 been known to track their masters almost incredible 

 distances. 



mmus 10 



MR. J. J. HOLGATES HAUTBOY 

 BY STRAIGHT BOY KITTY. 



Scale of Points for Judging Irish Terriers. 

 Positive Points. 



Head, ears, and expression . 

 Legs and feet 



Neck 



Shoulders and chest 

 Back and loin 

 Hindquarters and stem 

 Coat ..... 

 Colour .... 



Size and s\Tnmetrv 



Total 



Negative Points. 

 White nails, toes, and feet 

 Much white on chest 

 Dark shadings on face . 

 Mouth undershot or cankered 

 Coat shaggy, curly, or soft 

 Uneven in colour 



Total . 50 



It is difficult to 

 refer to particular 

 Irish 'Terriers of 

 to-day without 

 making invidious 

 distinctions. 

 There are so many 

 e.xcellent examples 

 of the breed that 

 a list even of those 

 who have gained 

 champ ion ship 

 honours would be 

 formidable. But 

 one would Jiardly 

 hesitate to head 

 the hst with the 

 name of Ch. Pay- 

 master, a dog of rare and almost super- 

 lative quality and true Irish Terrier 

 character. Paymaster is the property of 

 Miss Lihan Paull, of Weston-super-Mare, 

 who bred him from her beautiful bitch 

 Erasmic from Ch. Breda Muddler, the sire 

 of many of the best. Miss Paull's kennel 

 has also produced notably good specimens 

 of the breed in Postman (Utter brother to 

 Paymaster), President, and Postboy. Side 

 by side with Ch. Paymaster, Mr. F. Chfton's 

 Ch. Mile End Barrister might be placed. It 

 would need a council of perfection, indeed, 

 to decide which is the better dog of the 



