THE BRUSSELS GRIFFON. 
queror.’”’ I fail to see, however, that the 
dog is less worthy of admiration on that 
account. There comes a time, with canines 
as well as with humans, when a lengthy 
pedigree means an effete physique, and 
just as many of our belted earls have joined 
hands with the off-shoots of a young, new, 
and vigorous nation, so the shivering or 
stertorous lap-dogs of our great-grand- 
mothers have given place to the active, 
spry, and intelligent Brussels Griffon. To 
my mind, it is futile to inquire too closely 
into his ancestry ; like Topsy, “ he growed,” 
and we must love him for himself alone. 
Even in the last fifteen years we can 
trace a certain advance in the evolution 
of the Brussels Griffon. When the breed 
was first introduced under this name into 
this country, underjaw was accounted of 
little or no importance, whereas now a 
prominent chin is rightly recognised as 
being one of the most important physical 
characteristics of the race. Then, again, 
quite a few years ago a Griffon with a red 
pin-wire coat was rarely met with, but 
now this point has been generally rectified, 
and every show specimen of any account 
whatever possesses the much-desired 
covering. 
It must be admitted that, although they 
“breed true,” a litter of Brussels Griffon 
puppies will usually be found to vary in 
type and size, or even colouring, very 
much more than is the case with some other 
breeds. An interesting point in telegony 
which I have noted is that if a Griffon 
shows traces of an alien ancestor in its 
appearance, its character and disposition 
vary accordingly, and, as a rule, the more 
typical the dog, the more nearly does it 
approach the ideal Griffon in its charac- 
teristics. This is very comforting to a 
breeder, for who does not wish to love their 
most beautiful dogs most! It is so often 
the mongrel puppies which have a way of 
insinuating themselves into one’s affections. 
The first authentic importations of Brus- 
sels Griffons into this country were made 
by Mrs. Kingscote, Miss Adela Gordon, 
Mrs. Frank Pearce, and Fletcher, who at 
that time (circ. 1894) kept a dog-shop in 
Regent Street. The present writer soon 
followed, and it was at her house that, in 
1896, the Griffon Bruxellois Club was first 
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457 
suggested and then formed. The Brussels 
Griffon Club of London was a later off- 
shoot of this club, and, like many children, 
would appear to be more vigorous than 
its parent. Griffons soon made their ap- 
pearance at shows and won many admirers, 
though it must be admitted that their pro- 
gress up the ladder of popularity was not 
as rapid as might have been expected. I 
attribute this fact almost entirely to two 
causes: First and foremost, that in the 
early days of the Griffon in England there 
was so little uniformity in type and appear- 
ance, and as often as not the name of 
Brussels Griffon was given to a mere mon- 
grel Yorkshire Terrier, so that there was 
considerable doubt as to the identity of 
the real article. In the second place, there 
were at one time unfortunate dissensions 
in connection with the breed which gave 
the dog a bad name and nearly hanged 
him! The causes for these, however, have 
now been removed, and as, in addition, 
uniformity of type has become more prev- 
alent—so much so that the standard and 
quality of Brussels Griffons is now much 
higher in England than in their native 
land—increased popularity for the breed 
is bound to occur. One is justified in 
making this prognostication by the fact 
that the breed is especially attractive in the 
following points: It is hardy, compact, 
portable, very intelligent, equally smart 
and alert in appearance, affectionate, very 
companionable, and, above all, it possesses 
the special characteristic of wonderful eyes, 
ever changing in expression, and compared 
with which the eyes of many other toy 
breeds appear as a glass bead to a fathom- 
less lake. 
In September of 1900, at the Alexandra 
Palace Show, Copthorne Pasha and his 
son, the unbeaten Ch. Copthorne Top-o’- 
the-Tree, made their first appearance, and 
the former dog was destined to effect a 
great influence on the breed in the way of 
underjaws and true type, so much so that 
for a time a large proportion of prize win- 
ners at the principal shows were sired by 
him. Other prominent sires at that time 
were those owning the Rouge affix, belong- 
ing to Mrs. Moseley, and Miss Gordon’s 
Cock-o’-the-North and Milord. 
All the chief winners have always varied 
