FOREST AND STREAM. 



327 



!»-a,- tliree bar-neadeu geese, A-nstr -Indicvt; two Sevastopol geese, 

 domestic; one seerBtsry vulture, Opptirjeranns scrptntortita i foorrin&- 

 nected pheasants, Phasiams torqiiatw; two great blue herons, Ariiea, 

 herodian; One Salter , Plvtux anhinga; all purchased. 



-: es 



AMMAIS RhOBIVXD AT CENTRAL PARK HXN4 '""•■ 



-One ki3g vulture, Gyptrchm p<gw, presented by Mr. Gar- 



V. city ; niie bald eagle, w iii- 



by H. P. Klngslstrd, N. T. i-.:r, : I .v.. A ze « <■■, presented by 



Mr. Hermann C latweo, N. Y. city : one Hmall alligator, Alligator mU- 



presented by Master Romeyn s. Stafford, N. Y. city ; one 



bonnet monke Ut radiatus, purchased ; live prairie MOlveB, 



,, j. born in Cbe Menagerie. 



W. A. cox s lis, Director. 



THE MASTIFF. 



WE have wondered why this dog has not become more 

 popular in Ibis country, particularly since thesplendid 

 displa made at the first bench show in this city, when a 

 number of crack dogs from England were exhibited. We 

 can only account for it on the ground of a popular misap- 

 prehension regarding his disposition and trails of character. 

 The mastiff is essentially a domestic dog, a dog of the family, 

 and in England is a popular companion for ladies and children, 

 as any one who has noticed Mr. Du Marrier's sketches in 

 Punah will have observed. BuL like all dogs, if kept on the 

 chain too constantly when young his manners change and he 

 develops into the guard dog alone, with perhaps a sour and 

 uncertain disposition. Foe both purposes his magnificent 

 proportions eminently adapt him, although we question 

 whether he has the intelligence of either the Newfoundland 

 or St. Bernard. Of the great antiquity of the mastiff there 

 appears to be but little doubt. " Idstone " says that he was 

 known to the Greeks as the Molomw, taking its name from 

 Molossis, a part of Epirus, opposite Corfu, whence at that 

 early period the best sorts were obtained. Probably the 

 breed was imported subsequently from Middle Asia until it 

 became distributed throughout Europe. In unsettled times 

 in the British Islands it was used as a terror to the thief, 

 whence its name, " mase thefe " or " master theefe." 



In 1871 sixty-three mastiffs were exhibited at the Crystal 

 Palace Dog Show, which shows the popularity to which the 

 breed had reached in that country ; and it is said that there 

 was not a bad specimen in all that number. One of the most 

 successful breeders has been a lady, Miss Aglionby, recently, 

 we believe, deceased. Some ten years ago Miss Aglionby 

 Wed live dogs from one littery all of which became great 

 celebrities. One of them, Turk, was sold for -£450, probably 

 the largest price ever paid for a dog unless it was a public 

 greyhound. We thiuk there is little doubt that the best 

 mastiff Been at dog shows in this country is King Olaf, im- 

 ported and owned "by Mr. Wm. Forbes Morgan, of this city. 

 i llsf was known in England as Young Sultan, and was 

 by Or. Hunt's Sultan out of bis Countess. He took second 

 prize at the first show held in this city. Mr. Brown's (of 

 Liverpool; dog, Vandal, being first. At the second show he 

 was entered for exhibition only, but being brought into the 

 ring by mistake was immediately selected by Mr. Lort as the 

 winner. This year he took first, and also achieved the same 

 honor in Philadelphia. The Shah, whose portrait we print 

 (and which originally appealed in our English contemporary, 

 he Country), is a well known English champion, having won 

 first prize at all the principal English shows. He is a" fawn 

 dog, standing a little over 32 inches at the shoulder and 

 weighing 180 pounds. 



Everybody has heard of the Lyme Hall breed. Mr. Hugh 

 Dalziel, in an article contributed some time ago to an English 

 contemporary, w rites of them as follows: 



" Of our present dogs, the strain for which the greatest, or 

 rather absolute, purity is claimed is the Lyme Hall mastiff, 

 which lias been in the Legh family since Ihe heginning of the 

 fifteenth century, if not from a still earlier date ; but whether 

 the existing dogs of this strain have been kept pure hy abso- 

 lute in-and-in breeding, or with such merely occasional cross 

 with some closely-allied strain as may have been found neces- 

 sary to prevent deterioration, so that we may rely on it as 

 representing the original type, I have no means of knowing ; 

 but as it is held as a pure representative of the old English 

 mastiff by the noble family who have so long had it in their pos- 

 session, I can have no doubt that good reasons for thai belief 

 exist, and that the strain is at least approximately pure and 

 best represents the old breed ; and I am not aware that any 

 other breeders claim anything approaching to such a long de- 

 scent for their dogs, although a strain so noted as the Lyme 

 Hall must long have been would be sure to spread and leave 

 its mark on such other kennels as were most likely to be pre- 

 served with some, degree of purity." 

 The same authority writes as follows : 

 "In general appearance the mastiff is noble and dignified ; 

 his strength is shown in his immense bone, large, square and 

 well-knit frame, while the majesty of his carriage, his noble 

 head and the magnanimous expression of his countenance be- 

 speak consciousness of power governed by a noble and courage- 

 ous nature. There are mastiffs with sinister and scowling 

 faces, exhibiting the ferocity of the coward and bully, but 

 these will rarely be found to possess the grandeur of form that 

 distinguishes the breed, and are often cross-bred ; but in- 

 stances of a surly and dangerous disposition will show itself 

 in otherwise good and pure dogs, and, when it does, they be- 

 come a positive danger even to their owners and a terror and 

 a nuisance to the neighborhood in which they may be kept ; 

 but the natural disposition is gentle, with an intuitive desire 

 to afford protection, so that a well-trained mastiff is at once 

 the best of companions— not given to quarrel, solicitous of 

 notice from those he serves— and proves, with his intelligence 

 and high metal, the best of guards for person and property. 

 These good qualities characterize the modern mastiff, and 

 show the power of man in taming down the fierce nature of 

 the fighting dogs of Britain, for in this, as in outward form, 

 it is impossible to doubt he has been greatly modified and im- 

 proved since he was mainly kept in order to display his 

 prowess in the bull ring and the bear garden. 



" I have mentioned the faults of temper in dealing with the 

 general character. I will now point out the faults in outward 

 appearance most often met with. These are, first, I think, 



MASTIFF 



THE SHAH." 



the ungainliness of motion caused by weak legs, particularly 

 shown in the knee joints and the development of cow hocks ; 

 with this there is generally fiat, lean, wasted hams, and some- 

 times light, weak loins, and all these or the cow hocks only 

 give a shambling gait that is most objectionable. These de- 

 fects are often caused by bad rearing, inferior or insufficient 

 food, want of room or dampness in the kennel. The faults 

 alluded to are very common, and it should be the endeavor of 

 breeders and also of judges to get rid of them — the latter by 

 refusing prizes to all dogs that show the faults, and the former 

 by judicious selection and careful rearing." 



The points for judging the mastiff, as given by " Stone- 

 henge," are as follows : 



Value. 



Value. 



Bead,. 20 Legs.. 



Eyes 5 Feet., 



Ears f> Color 



Muzzle 5 coat. 



Neck.... 



i lU-rs.. 



Total.. 



The Head should be massive with a broad and flat forehead, 

 ears small and wholly pendant, lying close to the cheek, 

 though set on further back than in the hound, pointer and 

 setter. 



Eyes small, but mild and intelligent in expression. 



Pace short, with a square muzzle, not tapering toward the 

 point of the nose; teeth level, but sometimes there is a slight 

 projection of the lower jaw ; flews deep. 



The Neck should be muscular, with the head well set into 

 it, showing a slight prominence at the upper point of juncture; 

 body very large, with deep and wide chest, well ribbed up 

 and a powerful loin. 



The Legs should be straight, with great bone (this point is 

 not generally well displayed, owing to confinement, as is also 

 the next). 



Feet round and close. 



The Coat should be short, and the tail fine, but with a very 

 slight indication of roughness; it should be carried high when 

 the dog is excited. 



The Color most desired is fallow (fawnj, with black muz- 

 zle, and the richer the black the better ; next to this comes 

 brindle, then red with black muzzle, or black ; sometimes 

 there is a considerable mixture of white, but this is not de- 

 sirable. 



Height from 29 to 31 inches in the dog, and even more if a 

 fine symmetry can be combined. A dog standing 29 inches 

 ought to weigh, in good condition, not far from 120 to 130 

 pounds. 



angry hornet, striking with violence his plethoric nose, 

 which deluged us both in its crimson, I stuck to it with 

 great perternacity until Alex. H. H. Stuart, afterward Sec'y 

 of the Interior during President Fillmore's administration, 

 interposed. The Faculty was speedily summoned. Expul- 

 sion seemed inevitable. I was invited to attend. The whole 

 college soon became tumultuous and its dissolution in jeopardy 

 if a proper trial and judgment was not rendered in my case. 

 I had a fair one, and the Faculty, in a spirit of justice and 

 propriety waived a decision and referred it to the visitors. My 

 case went before the most honored tribunal that ever sat upon 

 such an occasion. Ex-President James Madison, ex-Presi- 

 dent James Monroe, Hon. Wm. C. Rives, Gen. John A. Coche 

 and Joseph C. Caleb composed that tribunal. I was tried and 

 acquitted. 



Excuse this digression, which I have alluded to only to 

 recall to my fellow-classmates pleasant though trying remi- 

 niscences of the long past. Boys, let us meet at the next 

 gathering of the alumni at the University of Virginia. 



The 14th of April seemed ordered specially for the occasion 

 I designed to spend it. The clouds hung low, rocks all moist, 

 wind barely perceptible but from the south. I made every 

 preparation usual for a vigorous red fox race, and the same 

 as on the morning of the 25th of March, an account of which 

 is in your issue of the 24th of April, with the exception of my 

 U3ing the young horse in the first dash and holding Lord Elgin 

 in reserve. To secure a close start — for the old red has become 

 so wily as to move off at the first note of a hound — I made a 

 detour to the north of his hunting ground and entirely above 

 it, so as to hunt down the Roanoke and face the wind. The 

 move was a judicious one and adroitly executed. But un 

 luckily the whole forest seemed alive with rabbits, and the 

 greater part of the pack became terribly demoralized. Comet 

 Logan, Monitor, Storm, Pallas, Red Bird and Molly alone es- 

 caped it. I struck the trail in my plantation, cold at first but 

 gradually improving. In an hour I was upon him. Those 

 seven dogs pressed earnestly, and like arrows passed close to 

 my residence, and there was a recruit of the demoralized dogs 

 of the early morning. They got in just right, and such a rip 

 after fox or deer was never before witnessed. The fox ran up 

 the Roanoke before the wind to the limit of his usual haunt, 

 then detoured much as I had done in the morning. I soon 

 discovered that death was his fate without some providential 

 interposition. This was afforded by a hole on the banks of 

 the Roanoke, and in a spirit of generous chivalry I would not 

 dig him out. So the old red is still alive, and this fall I hope 

 will be in proper condition for just such another tilt. 



Gaston, N. O. T. G. T. 



For Forest and Stream and Rod and Gun. 

 AFTER THE BRUSH. 



THE 14th of April found me in the saddle again, and in 

 proper mood for my old red. The lesion of the muscles 

 of my back was soon repair ed by a sturdy nature, and the 

 remedy of "Pious Jeems" was not more efficacious or speedy. 

 This reminds me of my first and last tilt from early manhood 

 to the present. It occurred at the University of Virginia, and 

 in the lecture-room of that learned linguist, Dr. Blasterman, 

 Professor in that institution of modern languages. I was a 

 member pi bis class, together with R. M. T. Hunter and Alex. 

 U. H. Stuart. I was the smallest youth in the University, 

 weighing only seventy-six pounds when challenged as an 

 athlete by my instructor. Dr. Blasterman was quite corpu- 

 lent, had a mouth like a catfish and could spurt out broken 

 English in German accent with marked volubility. His face 

 was a perfect full moon, with two blue half -curved caverns in 

 it, twinkling with good humor, but indicating a want of cul- 

 ture and a want of dignity. For some cause lie was strongly 

 prejudiced against me, and never let an occasion pass when a 

 thrust could be made at me. One morning in the Spanish 

 class a noise was made by Jno. Taylor, of Caroline Co., Va., who 

 occupied a seat on my immediate front. Quick as thought Dr. 

 Blasterman turned toward it, looking me fiercely iu the face, 

 with the admonition that a repetition would result in the ex- 

 pulsion from the lecture-room of the offender. He then turned 

 off and Taylor repeated the noise, and I was ordered out as 

 the offender. I took up my books and put on my hat, smiling 

 but making no reply. I had to pass by him, and I soon dis- 

 covered that my manhood was to be tested. When in his 

 reach he knocked off my hat, and I flew into his face like an 



NEBRASKA DOG SHOW. 



Omaha, May 15, 1879. 



The second annual bench show of Nebraska was held at 

 this city May 13, 14 and IS. The sporting dogs, i. e., setters 

 and pointers, were well represented, The Irish setter pre- 

 dominating as to numbers and representing such strains as 

 Grouse-Gipsey, Plunkett-Ruby, Beirbower's lihulif, etc. 

 The English setters were also well represented by the pro- 

 geny of Leicester, Victress, Blue Dasie II., Joe, Jr., etc. The 

 liver and liver and while pointers were also well represented — 

 ten entries, all well bred. 



The State Association resolved to hold a bench show with 

 each annual meeting of the association, also resolved to hold a 

 field trial of dogs in September next, open to the world. 

 Below I send you a list of the winning dogs. Non-sporting 

 dogs were not represented, although this city alone can pro- 

 duce hundreds of Dalmatians, collies, terriere, greyhounds, 

 St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, etc., etc. 



List op Pbemiums Awarded, 

 ibish olasbes. 



Champion Irish Setters— Doga— 1st, Gen'l B E Livingston's 

 Brian, Grouae-Gjpaie. Bitches— IbI, Wm Preston's Lucy, by 

 Beirbower'a KhahX 



Imported Irish Setters— 1st, D S Baniger's Bronze, Plunkett- 

 Kuby. ;- 



Native Irish Setters— Doga— 1st, silver cup, Saml LoDg's Dash, 



by Brian- -. 2d, medal, C L Baums' Snyder. Bitohee— 1st, sil- 



vkr cup, B E B Keruiopv'a Nora, Brian-Mona ; 2d, medal, J O 



MoBrlde'a Topsy. by Brian- Puppies— let, medal, C P Mat- 



thewaon's Mack, Brian-Mona ; V h c, J D Jones' Tim. 



ENGLISH CLASSES. 



Native English Setters— 1st, silver cup, H E Sackett's Joe ; 2d, 

 medal, 8 B Hathaway'a Spat ; 3d, medal, J A Ilamnron's Sweep- 

 stakes, Joe Jr Blue Dasie II, 3 mos ; V h c, J A Hammon's 

 Doxie, by Leicester- VictreB8 . 



Gordon (black ana tan) Setters— 1st, silver cup, Z Taylor's Bex 

 2d medal, J A Hammon's 



Pointers— let, silver cap, D M Wslty'a Belle ; 2d, medal. Wm 

 Maok'8 Toney. 



