84 DOMESTICATED DOGS. 



only account for this departure from the true terrier form of ear 

 in hoth of these breeds by supposing a cross with some other dog, 

 and I believe the dachshund to be the source of the large falling 

 ear in the one, and the beagle of the other. This theory is 

 supported by the peculiar temper of the Dandie, to which I shall 

 refer in treating of that breed, and by the thick, " cobby," and 

 beagle-like frames which fox-terriers now often show, and specially 

 those of the hound colour. As long as fox-terriers were only used 

 for "marking" foxes at their earths, and aiding the digger in his 

 operations, nose was not much required, for the scent of the fox 

 is so strong as to be easily made out when in his earth; but when 

 they became the fashionable companions of our rising generation, 

 they were required to hunt hedgerows for rabbits, and then a cross 

 'with the beagle began to be of use. About thirty years ago I had 

 several litters between the rough Scotch terrier of those days 

 and the beagle, for retrieving purposes, and the produce exactly 

 resembled the modern rough fox-terrier in ear and shape of body, 

 so that the above theory on this point is not entirely unsupported 

 by facts. As in the case of the Dandie, I do not expect a con- 

 fession of this practice having been adopted, for, like the bulldog 

 cross, it would be stigmatised as a derogation ; but I confess I 

 cannot in any other way account for the peculiar close-falling ear 

 of the modern fox-terrier. At the same time, I do not attach 

 much importance to this explanation, nor, indeed, to any other 

 historically reputed fact in regard to dogs. All, as it seems to 

 me, that is necessary, is to take each breed as it exists, and esti- 

 mate its bodily and mental characteristics by the standard of 

 utility, either in carrying out the intentions of man as far as 

 regards the particular kind of work required, or in pleasing his 

 eye by symmetry and colouring. It should be remembered that 

 in the early dog shows from 1859 to 1863, the fox-terrier was 



