THE POODLE. 167 
and companionable purposes, the poodle is always clipped in 
France and Germany during the summer, but his coat is allowed 
to grow during the cold season—a much more humane plan than 
that adopted by our English ladies, who exhibit them in satin 
even at Christmas, considering, I suppose, a few tufts of Astrakan 
enough to keep them warm. 
No dog is possessed of more intelligence than the poodle, and 
the best tricks exhibited in circuses and elsewhere are almost 
always performed by this breed. As a retriever he is indefatig- 
able, but on land he uses his brains more than his nose, and 
hunts in circles rather than by following the trail. He dives 
well, and rarely fails to find his bird in the water, while his coat 
is so impenetrable that he can remain immersed for an almost 
indefinite time. 
The very handsome specimen of the breed from which my illustra- 
tion of it is drawn is a black poodle belonging to Lady Di Huddle- 
ston, and when he has been just clipped by Mr. Rotherham, he 
exhibits the satin and Astrakan coat in perfection. Less woolly 
than most of his brethren, he has almost a silky sheen in his 
ringlets, but they are not soft like the setter’s. Nevertheless, 
with a very fine frame he unites good legs and feet, and alto- 
gether is as perfectly shaped a dog as can be imagined. 
“‘Mossoo” took the first prize at the Crystal Palace Show of 
1878, beating Mrs. Compton’s equally celebrated dog, who had 
previously taken two first prizes in Germany. He is full of 
tricks, like most of his breed, and is of a remarkably affectionate 
disposition. 
No points have ever been assigned to the poodle, and I confess 
that I have not sufficient knowledge of him to assign them. 
