THE MINIATURE COLLIE. 
has drawn up the following standard and 
scale of points : 
1. General Appearance.—A miniature English 
Greyhound, more slender in all proportions, and 
of ideal elegance and grace in shape, symmetry, 
and action. 
2. Head.—Skull long, flat and narrow. Muzzle 
very fine. Nosedarkincolour. Ears rose shaped, 
placed well back, soft and delicate, and should 
touch or nearly touch behind the head. Eyes 
large, bright and full of expression. 
3. Body.—Neck long and gracefully arched. 
Shoulders long and sloping. Back curved and 
drooping at the quarters. 
4. Legs and Feet.—Fore-legs straight, well set 
under the shoulder ; fine pasterns ; small delicate 
bone. Hind-legs, hocks well let down; thighs 
muscular. Feet long—hare foot. 
469 
5. Tail, Coat and Colour.—Tail rather long and 
with low carriage. Skin fine and supple. Hair 
thin and glossy likesatin. Preferably self-coloured. 
The colour most prized is golden fawn, but all 
shades of fawn—red, mouse, cream and white— 
are recognised. Blacks, brindles and pied are 
considered less desirable. 
6. Action.—High stepping and free. 
7. Weight.—Two classes, one of 8 lbs. and under, 
the other over 8 lbs. 
Scale of Points. 
Head . ‘ : ; , - 20 
Body . ; , : Be 120 
Legs and feet . ; : . 30 
Tail, coat and colour . 4 » 15 
Action 2 . ‘ so ES 
Total 100 
THE MINIATURE COLLIE. 
Ir there were any real scarcity of toy 
dogs it might be possible to rear a new 
variety from our own midst by a recourse 
to the diminutive Shetland Collie, which 
has many recommendations as a pet. Like 
the sturdy little Shetland pony, this dog 
has not been made small by artificial 
selection. It is a Collie in miniature, no 
larger than a Pomeranian, and it is perfectly 
hardy, wonderfully sagacious, and decidedly 
beautiful. 
They are scarce, even in their native 
islands, where chance alone seems to breed 
them rather than design ; but occasionally 
one may be brought to the mainland or to 
Ireland by the fishermen in the herring 
season, and left behind as a gift to some 
friend. At first glance the dog might easily 
be mistaken for a Belgian Butterfly dog, 
for its ears are somewhat large and up- 
standing, with a good amount of feather 
about them; but upon closer acquaintance 
the Collie shape and nature become pro- 
nounced. 
The body is long and set low, on stout, 
short legs, which end in long-shaped, 
feathered feet. The tail is a substantial 
brush, beautifully carried, and the coat is long 
and inclined to silkiness, with a considerable 
neck-frill. The usual weight is from six to 
ten pounds, the dog being of smaller size 
than the bitch. The prettiest are all white, 
or white with rich sable markings, but many 
are black and tan or all black. The head is 
short and the face not so aquiline as that 
of the large Collie. The eyes are well pro- 
portioned to the size of the head, and have 
a singularly soft round brightness reminding 
one of the eye of a woodcock or a snipe. 
The Shetlanders use them with the sheep, 
and they are excellent little workers, in- 
telligent and very active, and as hardy as 
terriers. Dog lovers in search of novelty 
might do worse than take up this attractive 
and certainly genuine breed before it be- 
comes extinct. An anonymous writer in 
one of the kennel papers recently drew 
attention to its possibilities as a pet; and 
the Editor of this work is acquainted with 
a lady in Belfast who owns a typical speci- 
men, but as yet the fascinations of the tiny 
Sheltie are commonly ignored. 
R. L. 
