7 8 DOMESTICATED DOGS. 



length of the head and face ; sometimes, however, considerably 

 more. The leather is very thin, and the hair covering it fine, 

 soft, and glossy. The eyes are of medium size, bright and intel- 

 ligent, without any visible " haw ; " rich brown in black tan dogs, 

 and pale brown in the tan variety. Lips short and without flew. 



Neck and body. — The main characteristics of these points is 

 their length in proportion to height and bulk. The general 

 appearance is weasel-like, and the whole length from tip of nose 

 to tip of tail should be four times the height, in this proportion 

 resembling the Skye terrier. The neck is rather long, but not in 

 proportion to the body, and it should be free from throatiness, 

 tapering gradually from the skull to the chest. The brisket 

 projects considerably, and is only from 2-^ to 3 inches from the 

 ground. The chest is round and short in the back ribs, while the 

 loin is arched and strong, the flanks being tucked up in a very 

 peculiar manner, giving an elegant curve to the hinder parts. 

 Shoulders strong and their points wide apart. 



Legs and feet.- — A good deal of controversy exists on the 

 proper formation of these parts. Many good judges contend for 

 fore-legs so crooked as to be clearly rickety, while others prefer a 

 leg of more useful formation. The excuse for the crooked leg is 

 that it compels a slow pace, and that it allows the dog to scrape 

 the soil back between the bowed fore-legs when digging in a 

 badger-earth. My own belief is, that the bandy leg has no 

 such advantage ; but it must be admitted that the German 

 fanciers, as a rule, " go in " for this peculiar formation. In any 

 case, the legs should be strong in bone, and so short as to lift the 

 breast-bone only for the distance above-mentioned from the 

 ground. Even if bandy, the elbows should not turn out nor 

 in, the latter point being a special defect, but they must stand 

 well out from the body, so as to be, on the average, 6 inches 



