88 Ladies’ Toy Dogs. 
The following scale of goinis is in general acceptation : 
—Form of head, 10; nose and formation of jaw, ro; 
eyes, 10; ears, 10; coat and texture, 10; form and com- 
pactness, 10; brilliancy of colour, 10; feather of legs 
and feet, 10; size and weight, 10; carriage of tail, ro— 
total, 100, ; 
The Blenheim Spaniel was thus described in the 
Field of Sept. 15, 1866 :— 
“This drawing-room favourite derives his name from 
the celebrated seat of the Dukes of Marlborough, where 
he used to be carefully bred ; the town of Woodstock 
being some years ago the fountain-head for pure Blenheim 
spaniels, which could also be purchased wonderfully 
small and well marked at Oxford about twenty-five years 
since. 
“ Tt is very difficult indeed to trace the origin of this dog, 
which judging from Vandyck’s pictures, was cherished at 
Courts in the days of Charles I. Sir Godfrey Kneller, 
we have heard, has painted small red and white spaniels 
at the feet of several Court beauties, or nestling in their 
laps. We are also informed that portraits from his hand 
are to be seen at Blenheim Palace and Arundel Castle, 
and that the small ‘comforter’ of this colour was in 
favour in the reigns of Charles II., James II., and up to 
the end of the time of Queen Anne. 7 
“Tt has been called the ‘Marlborough spaniel’ by 
some authors, who assert that it was first crossed with 
the King Charles, otherwise known as the King James 
spaniel, by a former Duke of Norfolk, who had a large 
number of them at Worksop. 
“Tt has been asserted that the same description of dog 
was a favourite in the time of Henry VIII., that it was 
much esteemed by Elizabeth, and that the small ‘dogg’ 
which was found under the clothes of Mary Queen of 
Scots after her execution was of this breed. As we have. 
before stated, it is almost impossible to give positive in- 
formation as to the first origin of the Blenheim ; and we 
incline to the opinion that it sprang from a race of 
cockers of that colour, for which the first owner of Blen- 
heim was celebrated, and that the.small race known by 
