The Irish Terrier 491 



Mr. R. G. Ridgway and endorsed by twenty-four of the best known Irish 

 breeders. It was this combination of breeders which induced Stonehenge 

 to recognise the breed, though it was done reluctantly: "Head long and 

 rather narrow across the skull [This is a comparative term suitable for 

 that period, and the illustrations of the old winning terriers show what 

 rather narrow then meant. — Ed.]; flat, and perfectly free from stop or 

 wrinkle. Muzzle long and rather pointed, but strong in make, with good 

 black nose and free from loose flesh and chop. Teeth perfectly level and 

 evenly set in good strong jaws. Ears, when uncut, small and filbert- 

 shaped, and lying close to the head, colour of which is somewhat darker 

 than rest of body; hair on ears short and free from fringe. Neck tolerably 

 long and well arched. Legs moderately long, well set from shoulders, 

 with plenty of bone and muscle; must be perfectly straight, and covered, 

 like the ears and head, with the same texture of coat as the body, but not 

 quite so long. Eyes small, keen and hazel colour. Feet strong, tolerably 

 round, with toes well split up; most pure specimens have black toe nails. 

 Chest muscular and rather deep, but should not be either full or wide. 

 Body moderately long, with ribs well sprung; loin and back should show 

 great strength and all well knit together. Coat must be hard, rough and 

 wiry, in decided contradistinction to softness, shagginess, silkiness, and 

 all parts perfectly free from lock or curl. Hair on head and legs not 

 quite so long as rest of body. Colour most desired is red, and the brighter 

 the colour the better. Next in order wheaten or yellow, and grey, but 

 brindleisto be objected to, thereby showing intermixture of the bull breed." 

 In the standard founded upon the foregoing by the club of England 

 and Ireland when it was organised, there are many indications of the fussy 

 faddiness of the beginner in expounding inconsequential details, such as a 

 negative penalty for white toe nails and for anj^hing over a speck of white 

 on chest. We were one of the aforesaid beginners, and of the entire ten 

 committeemen in the English section probably one, possibly two, had bred 

 a litter of Irish terriers, and two, George R. Krehl and James Watson, had 

 exhibited. Of the Irish ten, four were well-known exhibitors. The English 

 section particularly did a lot of amateurish things also in getting up stake 

 conditions, which, with the conservatism of Englishmen, remain unaltered 

 to this day and were adopted without thought or investigation by our 

 Irish Terrier Club. The standard of both clubs is the same, and is as 

 follows: 



