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CHAPTER XLIV. 
THE CLYDESDALE OR PAISLEY TERRIER. 
BY CAPTAIN W. WILMER. 
«Yes, my putr beast, though friends me scorn, 
Whom mair than life I valued dear, 
An thraw me out to fight forlorn, 
W? ills my heart can hardly bear. 
‘THE Clydesdale or Paisley Terrier is 
the rarest, as he is the most beautiful, 
of the terrier breed, and his origin 
has been the occasion of much controversy, 
especially among the Scottish fanciers. As 
his name implies, he hails from the Valley 
of the Clyde. Ignorance as to how this 
attractive dog originated is not confined 
to southerners ; the Scot himself maintains 
an ever discreet silence on this point, and 
when questioned leaves his interrogator 
in hopeless confusion. The Clydesdale was 
one among the many breeds of Scotch dog 
which raised such a storm of controversy in 
the ’seventies of the last century, and he 
figured in the comedy as one of the principal 
characters. 
The result of these angry storms was, 
however, beneficial to many varieties of 
Scottish dog, and they were severally dis- 
entangled from the knots which had tem- 
porarily linked and herded them together in 
an incongruous mass by being awarded 
separate classification. But though the 
Clydesdale thus received the impress of a 
distinct species few knew anything as to 
his antecedents, and fewer still even recog- 
nised the dog when they saw him. Some 
say, and with an apparent show of reason, 
that this breed is a cross between the Skye 
Terrier and the Yorkshire, to which latter 
he approximates to some degree in appear- 
ance. 
The Clydesdale may be described as an 
anomaly. He stands as it were upon a 
pedestal of his own ; and unlike other Scotch 
terriers he is classified as non-sporting. 
“While I hae thee to bear a part— 
My health, my plaid, an’ heezie rung, 
Ill scorn the unfeeling haughty heart, 
The saucy look, and slanderous tongue.” 
James Hoce. 
Perhaps his marvellously fine and silky 
coat precludes him from the rough work of 
hunting after vermin, though it is certain 
his game-like instincts would naturally lead 
him to do so. Of all the Scottish dogs he 
is perhaps the smallest; his weight seldom 
exceeding 18 lb. He is thus described by 
the Skye Terrier Club of Scotland: 
1. General Appearance.—A long, low, level dog, 
with heavily fringed erect ears, and a long coat 
like the finest silk or spun glass, which hangs 
quite straight and evenly down each side, from 
a parting extending from the nose to the root of 
the tail. 
2. Head.—Fairly long, skull flat and very 
narrow between the ears, gradually widening 
towards the eyes and tapering very slightly to 
the nose, which must be black. The jaws strong 
and the teeth level. 
3. Eyes.—Medium in size, dark in colour, not 
prominent, but having a sharp, terrier-like ex- 
pression, eyelids black. 
4. Ears.—Small, set very high on the top of 
the head, carried perfectly erect, and covered 
with long silky hair, hanging in a heavy fringe 
down the sides of the head. 
5. Body.—Long, deep in chest, well ribbed up, 
the back being perfectly level. 
6. Tail_—Perfectly straight, carried almost 
level with the back, and heavily feathered. 
7. Legs.—As short and straight as possible, 
well set under the body, and entirely covered 
with silky hair. Feet round and cat-like. 
8. Coat.—As long and straight as possible, free 
from all trace of curl or waviness, very glossy 
and silky in texture, with an entire absence of 
undercoat. 
9. Colour.—A level, bright steel blue, extending 
from the back of the head to the root of the tail, 
and on no account intermingled with any fawn, 
light or dark hairs. The head, legs, and feet 
should be a clear, bright, golden tan, free from 
