iE AIREDALE TERRIER. 
excelled in terrier character, and he was sound 
all over ; his advent was opportune—he was 
just the dog that was wanted, and there is 
no doubt he did the breed a great amount 
of good. 
About the time of Newbold Test’s appear- 
ance there were not very many people keep- 
ing Airedales for show. The band of ex- 
hibitors was a small one, and though they 
kept on gradually improving their dogs 
they did not attract many new enthusiasts 
into the fold. One matter which perhaps 
kept the breed back for some time was 
that there always seemed to be one very 
strong kennel in it, and this is a thing 
which at times has the effect of frightening 
off new-comers, who say to themselves : 
“What is the use of my going in for that 
breed 2? Mr. So-and-So wins all the prizes ; I 
shall never get to know as much as he does 
about it, and he is always sure to beat 
me.” In this way progress is unwittingly 
debarred, or at any rate delayed. There 
was at one time a very strong kennel of 
Airedales owned by a very rich gentleman 
who could afford to—and did, in fact— 
acquire every Airedale of note that existed 
in his day. When all were bought and 
there seemed to be no more to buy, the 
owner, either for business reasons, or be- 
cause he had tired of his hobby, gave the 
whole thing up and presented his entire 
kennel to a budding fancier who in turn 
for some time held the field with it. As, 
however, the inmates grew older, this 
gentleman again, although he had been 
fairly successful in bringing out a few new 
ones of superlative merit, seemed to sicken 
of the game, and in turn also dropped 
out. 
A dog called Colne Crack, who was a 
beautiful little terrier, was another of the 
early shown ones by whom the breed has 
lost nothing, and two other terriers whose 
names are much revered by lovers of the 
breed are Cholmondeley Briar and Briar 
Test. 
Some years ago, when the breed was in the 
stage referred to above, a club was formed 
to look after its interests, and there is no 
doubt that though perhaps phenomenal 
307 
success did not attend its afforts, it did its 
best, and forms a valuable link in the chain 
of popularity of the Airedale. It was at 
best apparently a sleepy sort of concern, 
and never seems to have attracted new 
fanciers, or to have caught the eye much 
in any way. Some dozen years ago, how- 
ever, a club, destined not only to make a 
great name for itself, but also to do a thou- 
sandfold more good to the breed it espouses 
than ever the old club did, was formed 
under the name of the South of England 
Airedale Terrier Club, and a marvellously 
MR. REGINALD KNIGHT'S THUNDER (1878). 
EARLIEST PUBLISHED PORTRAIT OF AN AIREDALE. 
Drawn BY C. BURTON BARBER. 
successful and popular life it has so far 
lived. The younger club was in no way an 
antagonist of the older one, and it has ever 
been careful that it should not be looked 
upon in any way as such. The old club 
has, however, been quite overshadowed 
by the younger, which, whether it wishes 
it or not, is now looked upon as the leading 
society in connection with the breed. Further 
reference to its ramifications will be made 
later. 
At a meeting of the first club—which went 
by the name of the Airedale Terrier Club— 
held in Manchester some seventeen’ or 
eighteen years ago, the following standard of 
perfection and scale of points was drawn up 
and adopted :— 
1. Head.—Long, with flat skull, but not too 
broad between the ears, narrowing slightly to the 
eyes, free from wrinkle; stop hardly visible, and 
cheeks free from fulness ; jaw deep and powerful, 
