THE MALTESE DOG 



449 



vTrtually the founder of the modem Maltese. 

 His Fido and Lily were certainly the most 

 perfect representatives of the breed during 

 the decade between i860 and 1870, and at 

 the shows held at Birmingham, Islington, 

 the Crvstal Palace, and Cremorne Gardens, 

 this beautiful brace was unapproachable. 

 Somewhat later Lady Giffard, of Red Hill, 

 and Mrs. Bligh Monk, of Coley Park, suc- 

 ceeded in winning the best prizes, and Mr. 

 J. Jacobs, of Oxford, was a prominent com- 

 petitor. Lady Giffard's Hugh was a par- 

 ticularly lovely dog, with a " coat hke floss 

 silk, white as driven snow," and without a 

 dark hair on all his body. His eyes and nose 

 were very dark. His weight was rather less 

 than five pounds. 



About ten \-ears ago Mr. J. W. Watts, of 

 Birmingham, was almost alone in his emin- 

 ence as a breeder and exhibitor. His 

 Prince Lily White and Flossie were only less 

 perfect than Mr. Mandeville's Fido and 

 Lady Giffard's Hugh. More recently still 

 the breed had its best representatives in 

 Mr. Jacobs' Pixie, Mrs. Palmer's Sir Meneris, 

 Miss Smith's Snowrtake, Mrs. Fish's Little 



MR. T w LEESES CH LADY MACDONALD. 



Count, and the Hon. Mrs. McLaren Morri- 

 son's Melita. The variety still remains in 

 very few hands, but at the present time 

 there are admirably typical specimens in 

 Mrs. L. H. Chard's Little Lord Doricles, 

 Ch. Snowflack, and Chingford Lassie ; Mrs. 

 Carlo Clarke's Boule de Xeige ; Mrs. Money's 

 Sir White Major and Ladysmith Daddies, 



and Mr. T. W. Leese's Ch. Prince Lilywhite 

 II., Major Mite and Ch. Lady Macdonald. 



Efforts have been made to acclimatise 

 the Maltese dog in the United States, whither 

 many of our best specimens have been ex- 

 ported, but the American climate seems 



MR. T W. LEESES MAJOR MITE 

 BY COUNT LILYWHITE OLD QUEEN. 



to be unsuitcd to all long-haired dogs, whose 

 coats and general beauty deteriorate. It 

 is a breed which to be kept in perfection re- 

 quires more than ordinary attention, not 

 only on account of its silky jacket, which is 

 peculiarly liable to become matted, and is 

 difficult to keep absolutely clean without 

 frequent washing, but also an account of a 

 somewhat delicate constitution, the Maltese 

 being susceptible to colds and chills. If 

 affected by such causes, the eyes are often 

 attacked, and the water running from them 

 induces a brown stain to mar the beauty of the 

 face. Skin eruptions due to unwise feeding, 

 or parasites due to uncleanliness, are quickly 

 destructi\-e to the silky coat, and constant 

 watchfulness is necessarj^ to protect the dog 

 from all occasion for scratching. The diet is 

 an important consideration always, and a 

 nice discernment is imperative in balancing 

 the proportions of meat and vegetable. Too 

 much meat is prone to heat the blood, while 

 too little induces eczema. Scraps of bread 

 and green \-egetables well mLxed with gravy 

 and finely-minced lean meat form the best 

 dietarj' for the principal meal of the day, 

 and plenty of exercise is imperative. 



