490 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



tJAN. 14, 1886. 



THE BIRMINGHAM NATIONAL DOG SHOW. 



THE National Dos Show Society held theii- twenty-sixt.h 

 annual exhibition in Curzon Hall, Birmingham, this 

 year under Kennel Club rules, with a total entry of 1,053, 

 which is in our opinion about 100 more than the hall can ac- 

 commodate with anything like eoinfort or safety. I n many 

 cases they were so close together with their chains twisted 

 round each otlier, that while taking notes we found we were 

 putting our remarks to the wrong nmnber. It was arranged 

 that the judges "were to commence their duties at 8 A. M. to 

 have the awards all niade by 11: SO, when H. R. Highness the 

 Prince of Wales was expected to visit the show. 'However, 

 the judging was not fluished at the time, so bliat as the public 

 was admitted at 11. -30. the judgiug at Birmingham for the iirst 

 time was finished publicly. Of conr.^e ownexs were not allowed 

 to lead thetr OAVn dogs, which was anything but satisfactory 

 to exhibitors, who had to stand at a' distance and see their 

 dogs led about before the judge by a keeper who might never 

 have had a dog on a chain befoi-e, and in one case a certain 

 bitch was entered in two classes and won first in one and sec- 

 ond in the other, and upon being led out and shown for a 

 special for the best of the variety in the show, she, we under- 

 stand, won the special, btit upon the facts being noticed, the 

 award was altered. Her owner was not under the circum- 

 stances more than satisfied and had the private judging been 

 caiTied out, his feelings would not have been affected in the 

 same way, as perhaps he never would have known anything 

 of the matter. 



The deerhouuds were two very good classes, but we could 

 not agree with the awards. In dogs we considered Clansman 

 much the best in the class. Acalia won well in champion 

 greyhounds. In open dogs first went to a fair black dog, but 

 for quaUty we fancied Balki;', third pi'ize, with hit kennel 

 companion Cassells as good as any of the othei s. The winner in 

 the bitch class also won the cup', which decision we did not 

 agree with as we considered her about as moderate an animal 

 as any in the class. 



Otter hounds were the best collection we have yet seen to- 

 gether. 



There was only one entiT in beagle dogs, a moderate 

 animal, very heavily marked, and four'entries (one absent) in 

 bitches. We liked the commended Myrtle much better than 

 her kennel companion, Abigal. 



Fulwood Spark won in champion fox-terrier dogs, but was 

 afterward disqualified, beiiig under weight when competing 

 for the special cup. Mr. Foreman's Farndon Street Sailor was 

 also disqualified, after having a good win in open doga. 

 Dudley Crash, second, a good terrier, but i-ather weak in 

 muzzle. Frank, he, is cheeky and throaty; Cj-abstiek, third, 

 is too heavy in skull ; Jack Clinker is a good sort, but too lai'ge. 

 In large-sized bitches, Freya. first, was l ather thin in coat. 

 Second piize, Westbourne" Trellis, is wealc before the eye. 

 Rarity is a good sort, but too large. In small-sized champions, 

 Meersbrook Model, looking well and always a favoiite of ours, 

 won well. In the open class, small-sized dogs. Randolf is 

 weedy; Fulwood Squire is a good terrier, but thin in coat; 

 Brokenhm-st Risk is plain tu face; Veniis a good terrier, but 

 weak before the eye; Valet is a good sort, with good head and 

 eye, is cf good size, but was shown thiu and is a lemon marked 

 one; Spice Dick is rather heavy in skull and too short in head 

 and neck; Mount Trap, unnoticed, is a fair good stamp and 

 should have been noticed ; Doric is loaded in neck and shoul- 

 ders; Raby Trick is leggy and soft in coat. In small-sized 

 bitches the second winner was looking much better than we 

 have seen her lately. The third prize is a very nice lemon- 

 marked bitch. Satellite, unnoticed , is a very good stamp of 

 little terrier, with good head and expression, possessing plenty 

 of bone and good quai'ters, with the best of feet and leg-s. 

 Safety., the winner in this class, is a good stamp; she might be 

 better in head and have more expression. 



In champion wire-haired tei riers, the tight lay between Tack 

 and Wonder. The latter just managed to get first. They are 

 both good ones. Tack has rather the pull for size, but Won- 

 der is a real good one, and always on her legs and showing 

 herself well. In open dogs, Barton Chnker won ; he is an- 

 other good one, possessing character with good feet and legs 

 and a good coat. Raleigh is a very good lemon marked dog, 

 but not shovra to the same advantage as the Avinner. Ronald 

 Bi'oad is too hght in eye. Mr. De TralTord was again to the 

 front in wire-hau'ed bitches vsdth Barton Marvel, and won the 

 cup for the best wire-hau-ed terrier in the show, and, we 

 thmk, rightly. She is lemon marked, and her ear is just 

 large enough^ but in .size, style and coat she is a maa'vel. Sec- 

 ond prize, Woolaton Thistle, is weedy. In fox-terrier puppies 

 the first is too high on legs and weak in head. Bolt, unno- 

 ticed, and claimed at £5, was as good as any, but too fine ia 

 coat. 



The pointers were a grand collection. Five turned up in 

 the challenge class, and it was a close shave between Nan and 

 Belle of Bow; both are good ones and were shown in the pink 

 of condition. The open dogs introduced us to anotJier new 

 one— Naso of Upton, by Naso of Kipping ex Nan. This 

 young dog won first and special for the best pointer in the 

 show; and, we think, correctly. He was shown without an 

 ormce of fat on him, and we never saw muscle developed to a 

 greater extent on any young dog. He possesses good feet and 

 legs, the best of shoulders, veiy clean neck, and his quarters 

 are perfection. His head'is also good, but we have seen dogs 

 possess more character ui head. However, we think his worst 

 point is his eye, which is too light in color. Earl of Croxteth 

 is not so fine in shouldera or loug in head as the winner. 

 Devon Sancho made a good second, but is not up to the form 

 of the winner in quality or condition. In large size bitches, 

 we hked the second prize wiimer. She is full of quahty, and 

 possesses more bone than the winner, who was in the best ot 

 foi-m and is a good bitch, full of quahty. Nannie, sistei' to 

 Naso of Upton, made a good thu'd, Young Wagg, showing 

 age, won in small-sized champion dogs. In small-sized dogs, 

 Mr. Norrish won well with a very nice one. Bracket, showu 

 in his usual good form. He was closely pres.sed by STaso of 

 Kipping, another good one, full of quality. Third went to 

 Kingsbridge Bang, showing quahty, but veiy bad in shoul- 

 dersandweakin quaitei'S ; catalogued at £10 and claimed. Dag- 

 mar vhc. reserve in smaU bitches, shows quality, but is rather 

 Ught ia bone. Lady Jane is much the same stamp as the 

 winner in large bitches. Larkspur shows quality, but is 

 rather short in face. Pease is another good bitch, rather long 

 in coat. Arizona is of good stamp, but rather throaty. Par- 

 don is another good one with the same fault. Pointer pup- 

 pies, bar the winner, were a poor lot. In the class for field 

 trial winners there were twelve entries and a real good col- 

 lection, the small-sized dog Naso of Kipping winning. 



In setters, the class for field trial winners, the Irish setter 

 bitch Wee Kate won, closely pressed by the Enghsh Wild Rose. 

 In the challenge class for English setters, first went to Royalty, 

 looking well and in good coat and condition, but too heavy all 

 over. We certainly preferred Sting, although he was not just 

 up to his usual form. In open dogs, Osman VI. is a nice sort 

 of dog. He wants more qualitj' in head and quarters. He 

 was very lucky to get third in such company. Prince Rupert, 

 the winner, we think ought not to have received more than 

 vhc, but he was afterward awarded the special cup for the 

 best in the show. He is only a puppy, and won in the puppy 

 class here. We consider him weak in loins and not good in 

 feet. Royal Gem is of the same itamp as Puoyal. Tycoon, c, 

 is a good dog and imich better than those placed over him. 

 King Ned, the Sheffield wimier and about best in the class 

 only r eceived nc. We noticed Sir Wyndham, c, a young dog 

 out of form but a good setter, and sure to I'ender a better 

 account of himself again. In bitches, Mr. Cockerton won 

 first and second with two very good ones. We preferred the 

 second as being younger and showing more quality. Empress 

 Bess is veiy baa in coat. In the challenge class for black and 

 tan setters, Heath Beauty just beat Czarina. Open dogs 



were a good class so far as numbers went, but there was not 

 much quaUty. The winner is a good dog, with plenty of sub- 

 stance. Second went to a strong dog, but coarse. "We pre- 

 fer the thii-d prize winner. In the bitches the winners were 

 finer and of a different stamp from the winners in the dog 

 class. 



In the challenge class for Irish setters Loo VII. beat Nellie. 

 We prefen-ed the latter, although she is not so good in skuU 

 as the winner, but better in body and bone. In open dogs, 

 the winners were coarse and earned too much coat and 

 feather. We thought Kildare about the best in the class, with 

 more of Irish setter type and character, and at the same time 

 being well made, with good feet and legs, good coat and cor- 

 rect in color. Grouse XIII. is rather thin and light in body, 

 but ought to be further forward. In open bitches, the win- 

 ner is of good stamp. She is greatly improved in coat and her 

 color is better than at Hull and Sheffield, but she is too small. 

 Wee Kate, socond, is well-known. She is a good bitch, just a 

 trifle out at elbows. The third winner is plain in face. Nellie 

 IX., out of coat, was about the best in the class, possessing 

 good head, good ears, and the best of body, feet and legs, 

 with shoulders runm'ug in the right direction. In setter pup- 

 pies, all breeds, first went to the winner in open dog class. 

 Second, a moderate animal, but was claimed at the catalogue 

 piice, £30. Monk of Furness, a dog almost white in color, 

 ■we considered about the best young setter in the show, stand- 

 ing on the best of feet and legs, with good loins, plenty of coat 

 and beautiful head and ears. 



In the challenge class for any variety of spaniel, our old 

 friend Solus won, lookiug as well as we have ever seen him, 

 while at Edinburgh and Hull he was quite out of fonn;the 

 small, parcy-colored Fanciful coming second. In water 

 spaniel dogs only two put In an appearance, and The Shaugh- 

 raun won; but he is coarse and not what a Birmingham win- 

 ner should be. Only one bitch was entered— a very moderate 

 specimen. Some very nice Clumbers were shown, and we 

 thinli: they were correctly placed. The winners were good, 

 large, well-bodied animals, of very good type. Cherie is a 

 very good bitch, full of quality, but lacked the size and body 

 of the winner, Mr. Holmes's entries were absent. The win- 

 ner in the Sussex or liver-colored variety was. in our opinion, 

 a clear winner and a good typical spaniel, witn good coat and 

 color, with a lot of imx^rovement in him, as he was exhibited 

 here too hght in flesh. There was very little to choose between 

 Easten's Bee and Newton Abbot Russet, the latter having the 

 pull in condition, the former being out of coat. In black dogs, 

 Furse is coarse and bad ui eye. The winner, Newton Abbot 

 Victor, is a good spaniel, but too high on leg. Darkle, from 

 the same kennel, is lower, but coarse in head. Beverley RoUo 

 is also a httlo high on the leg and wants more quality in head 

 and shoulders. In black bitches, Flame is a good spaniel, but 

 out of coat. Newton Abbot Bess won well, being good in 

 type and with beautiful ears. Una is small before the eye 

 and her ears are too high, taut she was the longest and lowest 

 in the class. In spaniels other thau black, first piize went to 

 a coarse, leggy, bad-coated li%^er and white, the worst in a 

 class of three entries. Coimsellor was a good way the best, 

 and this was the only mistake we could see in the spaniel 

 classes. In the corre.*ponding bitch class there was little 

 between Corty and Winifred II. Only one cocker tiu-ned up — 

 a very moderate one. The well-known Freda won first in 

 bitches. We understand she was over weight, but as no per- 

 son protested the awards held good. Second went to the 

 winner at Hull and Sheffield. 



Basset hounds were two good classes, and the competition 

 was keen and satisfaction not more than usual under the ch- 

 cumstances. 



In mastiflrs, Montgomery won for the second time at Bir- 

 mingham ; he is short in face, but too much turned up in bull- 

 dog style. Thu'd went to the Sheffield winner, coarse aud 

 long m head. Prince Wivs out of condition, but with the be.st 

 face in the class. A very nice bitch won, Griselda; .she is 

 good in skull, but might be squarer in muzzle; she is of good 

 size and good type. Cambrian Princess coming second, with 

 Princess Ida third, to which we preferred the vhc. Vivian. 



In the challenge class for St. Bernards, Plinlimmon won, 

 with Lady Eva, from the same kennr 1, reseiwe. In open dogs, 

 the much improved Merchant Prince won easy, the Silver 

 King coming second and the well-known Mu.sgra've third. We 

 thought Bernadine won well in bitches, being a veiy showy 

 bitch, and except that she is a little hght in bone, one of the 

 best. Second went to the Duchess of Leeds, a good-bodied 

 bitch, good in size and with the best of feet and legs, her fault 

 being a trifle too much length in face. Crevassee 11. made a 

 good third. 



Champion Rutland, looking well, won in the challenge class 

 for sheep dogs, yet we preferred Charlemagne. The open dog 

 class was not so" good as we have seen at Birmingham. We 

 consider Claudian only a moderate dog, and prefer Bhster, 

 from the same kennel.' He possesses a good head aud weU- 

 earried ears, and is of good size. Angus Ci-aig is a good cohie, 

 but carries his tail too gaily. Rankin got more than he de- 

 served. Oakham Fifth is as good as any m the class, although 

 one ear is not con-ectly carried. In bitches, Easemore is of a 

 good stamp, but small, possessing good ears and coat. The 

 black and white Sweet Lassie we admired very much. She 

 looks like galloping and possesses good head and ears and 

 good coat Mint is short in face. Blue Ruin, looking well, 

 won, and has been often noticed; second a good way behind 

 the winner. The puppy class was large and contained some 

 very promising youngstei-s, but the majority were very mod- 

 erate. 



Rustic King won easily in buUdogs, Grabber being absent. 

 The open class was moderate. Mr. La.yton showed a very 

 nice small dog, by Monarch, and won well in the small-sized 

 class. 



Cairo won in the challenge class for buU-tennei^s easy, having 

 nothing against him. In open dogs fii"st went to Trenthan 

 Dutch, a good large dog, coaise in head; Paradox shows 

 quality; King Dick il. is cheeky; NeviUe was badly treated, 

 and so were several other good dogs unnoticed. Queen of the 

 iVfay won easily in bitches and we considered her about the 

 best bull-terrier in the show; second went to a very nice 

 medium-sized bitch, and we fancied Kettering Maggie as about 

 the next best. In small-sized dogs first went to a yoimg oue; 

 his sister won in small bitches and beat her brother for a 

 special: they were both yoimg, being under tAvelve months 

 old, and will be sure to alter. Leading star won easily in 

 white Enghsh dogs ; a very fair young bitch winning in the 

 bitch class. 



In the challenge class for black and tans Wheel of Fortune 

 just beat Burke, the latter was shown too fat. The winner in 

 open dogs was a youngster that looks like growing too large; 

 Hero made a good second and might have won altogether. 

 Kenwood Queen had nothing against her in bitches. Insmall- 

 sized dogs the winner is too tine and bitchy, the others were 

 too young. The small class bitches were a good class and 

 contained a number of good ones. We preferred the second to 

 the fli'st. 



Prince Charlie II., well known in Scotland, won well in 



prick-eared Skyes, and Claret, that we have not seen 

 for so long a while, won in bitches. In Skyes, other than 

 prick-eared, Maggie is short in face, but good in coat. Ben- 

 more, rather light in color, won easy. Strathmore is too lai-ge 

 and out of form. KirkM^ood had nothing against her. She is 

 a good bitch and well-known. Dandle dogs were a good class, 

 Border King winningwell, we preferred Rhoderick for second 

 place. Pepper is a good dandle, bub light m color. Cairn- 

 gorman is young and small in skull. Jenme Deans won again 

 in bitches. In Bedlingtons, we preferred Hairdresser to the 

 Bishop. Only two tm-ned up in open dogs,;;Scotch Mist win- 

 ning easy, the other was a liver. In bitches the wmuer shows 

 style. Clyde, unnoticed, was good in style and size, but we 

 did not like her coat. 



Play Boy had a walkover in the chaUenge class for Irish terri- 

 era,only three dogs were entered, the winner a good way ahead, 

 Greymont being shovsm in bad form. Mr. Graves won easily 

 with Pretty Lass in bitches, and in the uncropped division we 

 liked Nora Tatters, bar her size, as w-ell as any. Airedales were 

 moderate, but the WT^nners were well placed. 



In Scotch terrier dogs, Dundee won well and we preferred 

 Tyrant for second honors, being nice in size and good in coat. 

 We preferred Ashley Nettle to the winner in the bitch class, 

 the latter being best in skull, while the former was much the 

 best in coat. Welsh terriers were a very poor lot. Mrs. Fos- 

 ter won first and second easily In Yorkshire terriers. Pom- 

 eranians first and second went to two small blacks; the white, 

 Charley, was only vhc. 



The winner in poodles was a grand dog. shown naturally. 



Pugs were a good collection, but we fancied that some of 

 the unnoticed were as good as any in the class— for instance, 

 Lion, Gaiety and King of Diamonds— while the thh-d class dog 

 was very plain. 



In Maltese there was only one, and it very moderate, and 

 marked on ear and tail. 



In the challenge class for toy spaniels, Bend'or and Jumbo 

 II. had a walkover, and we considered them con-ectly placed, 



Blenheims were the best class of toy spaniels, with very- 

 little to choose between the winners. Only two King Char- 

 hes— the winner much the best. 



Mr. Alf George won in smooth toys with a very good one, 

 while^Ir.s. Foster won first and second easy with a pair of 

 good 1 orkshires in rough toys. 



The atteudance dm-iug the show was better than we re- 

 member, cind Birmingham shows have always been well pat- 

 ronized. During the show there was a petitiou drawn up by 

 some exhibitors to present to the committee in favor of pri- 

 vate judging. Mahabg. 



[A list of the awards will be foimdin the American Kennel 

 Register.'] 



THE NEW ENGLISH SETTER STANDARD. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Several weeks have passed since the publication of the pro- 

 posed new English setter standard. The paper is signed by 

 eminent authority, and, for this reason perhaps, is already ac- 

 cepted without criticism by the majority of setter breeders. 

 When offering the following remarks I likewise decline to 

 criticize, but ask for elucidation of doubtful or not well-ex- 

 Ijressed language. 



If one knows the dog the framers of the standard have in 

 their mind, or if the description were accompanied by a few 

 di-awings, there is no doubt that the best exponent of the 

 modern English setter can be brought within the meaning of 

 the words as used, even by others. 



My objection to Stonehena-e's standard, even in regard to 

 the dog to which it applies, is that it is too broad for all but 

 the direct pupils of its writer, who have received the proper 

 intei-jiretation from him, As a result, forms of the most 

 radical variation are often pLaced as under the standard in 

 good faith, aud to avoid this as much as possible under the 

 new standard, all the infoi-mation we can possibly obtain 

 now should prove of advantage. 



But before I touch upon any special points, I must have the 

 admission from the framers that what they offer is not merely 

 a new description of the same dog described in the old stand- 

 ard, but that they actually wish to describe a difffu-ent and 

 impi-oved dog. This granted, I offer you a few pen pictures, 

 poor enough to be classed as caricature.?; but like these, in- 

 tended to illustrate by exaggeration either the strongest or 

 the wefikest points of the subject. As I do not expect 

 any of yotir readers to recognize the dogs from these illus- 

 trations" as intended— the first (A) for Laverack'a Blue Dash 

 and the second (B) for Count Noble's son Gath, cJipped of all 

 feathering, as near .^s I can recollect him from the field trials 

 of 1SS3— I herewith offer their n;imes to the public and my 

 skill to the ridicule of friend Tracy. As they are, I hope that 

 they will Ulustrato my meaning when refei red to hereafter, 

 and that aU defects in the drawing will be excused, (My own 

 impression is, though, that my attempt at Gath is shorter in 

 loin and with less drop from hip to stern than the dog really 

 had.) The first and general questions i wish to ask are; 



a. Were dogs of the t^^ie of Blue Dash admissible under the 

 old standard? 



b. Is his type admissible under the new standard? 



c. Was the type of Gath contemplated under the old? 



d. Is his type "contemplated under the new standard? 

 After a careful comparison my owu conclusions lead me to 



answer Yes as to the que.stious a and d, but No to b and c. 

 If I am right, wherein lies the dift'er-euce? 



In general, the new standard requires a lighter dog through- 

 out, statiut:, when sjjeaking of the head, ''this type isde-sirable, 

 since it is in accord with the general typ.'? of the dog, the demand 

 being for more length and less %veight throughout '' AlthougU 

 lam in harmony with this proposition. I should be glad to 

 have a definite desirable weignt given or an expression used 

 a.dmitting of dogs like Plantagenet, Sportsman, Gladstone's 

 Boy, Buckellew. etc., upon the bench. 



If I may define "quahtjf'' as standing for ''the greatest 

 strength in the least weight," there is no reason why dogs of a 

 weight within certahi limits should not be as handsome or as 

 desirable for stud iDm'poses as smaUer ones, provided they 

 have the requisite lightness, are free from lumber and fuU of 

 "quality." 



Beyond this indefinite expression of weight, nothing is said 

 in either standard as to size, length or height, but I take it 

 as an axiom that (with a given size) the lighter a dog looks 

 for his weight, the better is his weight distributed and the 

 gi-eater his quality. Long flat muscles, though hghter in ap- 

 pearance, are preferable to shorter ones. But longer muscles 

 requhe longer bone for attachment, hence, "more leg" and 

 the abandonment of the low spaniel type of Dash for this 

 reason alone. 



But this is not the principal distinction. Legery dogs have 

 always existed without being an improvement in either looks 

 or action. Wherein, then, is the improvement? Legs or feet 

 are described in the new standard as understood heretofore, 

 and I have only to add that, in my opinion, no naked foot 

 should ever beaharefoot; furthermore, a harefoot requires 

 a sloping pastern. ..... 



Nearly everything else, although more explicit m the new 

 standard, is descriptive of practically the same demands as 

 in the old. even to the indefinite description of "thm enough, 

 wide' enough," etc., until we come to an expression incorpor- 

 ating alniost the only radical change in conformation— a 

 change which, with the subsidiary changes it necessitates, is 

 the fundamental principle of the new type. ^ ^ ,^ 



I quote the following fi-om the descnption of shoulders and 



""^"Tlie chest should be thin enough to aJlow the shoulders to 

 lay flat and move with freedom. Great depth at this point 

 is obitctionable, since it puts too much weight on the shoul- 

 ders and forelegs. The weight should be distributed as evenly 

 as possible between the forward and hindparts; the tendency 

 is too much forward. By placing the greater volume of 

 chest back of the shoulders the foreptu-ts are relieved of 

 weight that should be in part supported by the hind parts. The 

 droop in the chest should be just back of the elbows, sloping 

 upward toward the neck, permitting the dog to carry his 

 head and neck up with more ease." 



We have hitherto heard a great deal in regard to depth or 

 chest and its di-opptng below the elbow; its being thin 

 enough, ribs well sprimg behind the shoulders, deep in back 

 ribs, etc. : but this is for the first time that 1 have seen its rela- 

 tive position described as above in the words: "'The droop in 

 the chest shoul<l be just back of the elbows, sloping upward 

 toward the neck." Of course I take this as describing the 

 position of the breastbone, to "W^hich the full or true nbs are 



