104 DOMESTICATED DOGS. 



view) from the _ large falling; hound-like ear of Mr. Mellor's 

 " Bandy," which was among the disqualified class. Now I cer- 

 tainly could, not entirely agree with Mr. Smith's opinion when 

 published in 1 867-68, but he has lately resuscitated the subject, 

 after having examined into the evidence in existence over the 

 Border, and has published the following letter in " The Field " of 

 November 1 6 : — 



THE DANDIE DINMONT. 



Sir, — I must ask you kindly to allow me space in your next issue for a 

 few remarks, which cannot, I take it, fail to be of interest to those of your 

 readers who have an interest in, and care for, the, dog called the Dandie Dinmont. 

 It is because of late there has been much division of opinion as to what is, or 

 what is not, the true and genuine breed of this particular dog, that I the more 

 readily venture to state my own opinion on the matter. It will be in the 

 recollection of most dog-fanciers that for two years in succession I had the 

 pleasure of being one of the judges at the Birmingham Show, and also that I 

 did, with my brother judges, disqualify and refuse to award prizes to certain 

 dogs entered as Dandies. It is not now my intention to put myself on the 

 defence because the course I took as a judge did not meet with the entire 

 approval of sundry exhibitors and others, nor is it my intention to attempt to 

 reply to the one-sided and palpably false argumentative reasoning which has 

 since appeared in public correspondence on the subject ; but my sole object in 

 addressing you is to give your readers the benefit of my experience and 

 opinion, at the same time adducing statements of facts which no dis- 

 passionate dog-fancier can possibly gainsay or deny. I would beg, then, 

 that members of the Dandie Club, and Dandie fanciers generally, would 

 either admit that my opinion is entirely the correct one, or, if not correct, 

 show in a truthful and logical way that it is an erroneous one. The 

 position, then, which I take is this : That the so-called Dandies which 

 are constantly receiving prizes at our leading dog shows are not of the 

 pure Dandie Dinmont breed, but are mongrels. I admit that I have 

 devoted much time, thought, and money to make myself familiar with 

 the numerous varieties called Dandies, and I generally allow that those 

 judges whose knowledge of the Dandie is not so matured as my own 

 ought not altogether to be blamed ; but if they persist in hugging ignor- 

 ance, and pandering to that which ought to give way to an exact and true 

 knowledge of the matter which is really within their reach, then indeed 

 blame is their deserved portion. It is pitiable to note that from time to time 



