492 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jan. 14, 1886. 



THE GRAPHIC CHALLENGE. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



As Mr. Anthony "declines to discuss through, the cohiuins of 

 FOBEST AND STREAM or any other paper any questiou aflecting 

 doo;s, held trials or bench shows with any professional dog 

 dealer or handler," I would like to ask if any of the gentle- 

 men present saw Q-raphic when he was "quartenug out the 

 whole ground in front of Beaufort on the rights"' Would it 

 be hke Mitchell to bring his dog back when he was quarter- 

 ing his ground ahead of his competitor, especially when one 

 part of the rield was as Ukely to hold birds as the other r He 

 cast him to the left for the simple reason that Bejudut ^\a-. 

 ahead at that time and would certainly work out the stubble 

 to the right ahead of him. It was proved that Mitclu II w ts 

 right in casting him to the left as (unfortunately for Crraphie) 

 that was where the bu'ds were. I would not have taken tbe 

 trouble to write this had not Mr. Anthony made the state- 

 ment after refusing to discuss auythiug with a handler. As 

 if the columns of" the ''Forest "and Stream or any other 

 paper" are not as free for a man who is not wealth \' an i has 

 had experience with "dogs, field trials and bench snows as 

 they are for one who is wealthy and has not had that ex]>eri- 

 ence. I do not think that being a handler should cieljar a man 

 from discussing any question with Mi\ Anthony any more 

 than it should prevent a man fi-om being a gentleman. 



After reading the one-sidetl challenge to Mainspring, Crox- 

 teth and Drake and bringing to mind the sale of trraphic for 

 several times what he cost, I made up my mind that as an 

 amateur dog dealer the debut of Mr. Anthony had been, to 

 say the least, bi'iUiant, and wondered how long before he 

 would be considered a professional. W. Tallman. 



Tareytown, N. Y. 



Editor Forest and St ream: 



In my letter relating to this question I rn'ote ''his ring-tail 

 included." This is a mistake, as Graphic has a corkscrew tail. 

 Mr. Green informs me that he has not seen Graphic, and that 

 what he said to me was the opinion of a friend Avho has seen 

 the dog. Chas. H. Mason, 



THE POINTER CHALLENGES. 



rpHE following reply has been made by Mr. Perkins to the 

 X challenge published a fortnight ago: 



Messrs. Chas. Heath and Jas. L. Antliony, New York: Dear 

 Sirs— If you are really desirous of rimning your dog Graphic 

 against Mainspring for a purse, a cup, or a dog collar, you 

 shall be acxjommodated, though not exactly upon the condi- 

 tions you name. 



I fuUy recognize the fact that in this match Graphic has all 

 to gain and nothing to lose; yet I promise yoa as fair a race 

 in all its details as 1 can possibly give you and yet be fair to 

 my dog. 



if your object is the advei-tising of Graphic through the 

 editorial columns of the newspapers, I must positively decline 

 having anything to do with the matter, and one condition I 

 must name right now is, that all particulars regai cling tliis 

 race shall be kept out of the newspapers; fj om this time until 

 day of the race, unless such paper be signed by both you and 1. 



My office is but a short distance from yoxu's, a letter would 

 have reached me by messenger in half an hour or by mail in 

 a few hours, or yoii^could have called upon me. I would have 

 considered it courtesy on your part had you notified me of 

 your desire before advertising your challenge, which is liable 

 to provoke discussion to an unlimited extent. I must there- 

 fore positively refuse to take any part in any newspaper dis- 

 cussion on this subject that mav hereafter appear. 



The details of the race can, I think, be easily arranged, and 

 the sooner we get at them the better. I therefore awaiii your 

 pleasm-e. A note addressed as below will meet with the de- 

 sired attention, but newspaper articles will not be noticed. 



I am not a member of the Eastern Field Trials Club, West- 

 minster or other kennel club, and have but shght acquain- 

 tance among its members. Had 1 the time to devote to the 

 ■ interests of those organizations I most certainly would en- 

 deavor to become a member of both clubs. 



As it is, Mainspring was entered in 1S84 and ^85, and run for 

 what he was worth in the opimon of the judges, whose decision I 

 agreed to abide by when 1 entered my dog. Ic was so at the 

 National this year, and though greatly disappointed by then- 

 decision, yet no newspaper complaint from ine. 



The honors conferred upon Mainspring in 18S4 and '85 were 

 won by him His grand sLre champion Bang vv on many before 

 him, and his sire Mike won nine held trials more than any 

 dog ever won in England. His dam and grand dam, also sev - 

 eral of his sistei-s. are noted field trial wmuers, and last year a 

 puppy, Osborne Ale, by one of Mainspring's Ktter sisters, won 

 the English Derby. . . , . 



If Graphic beats Mainspring, and I promise to give ham as 

 fair play as I ask myself in the details of the race, his owners 

 can feel it a triumph weU worth a great effort to accomplish. 



J. F. FerjvIKS. 



Kent Ave. AND HooPEB Street, Brooklyn. E, 1)., H. Y., Jau. 7, 



i8se. 



THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. 



Editor Forest and Stream: _ _ 



During the month of November last, Mr. w , Wade wrote 

 an article to the Stock-Keeper, in which the following para- 

 agraph occurred : 



'•May I express satisfaction at 'Oorsincon's' vigorous denun- 

 ciation of the silliness of disfiguiing so excellent a dog as the 

 poodle by the stupid fashion of clipping, making one of the 

 wisest of dogs look like a clo^oi at a fah; That such a phil- 

 osopher should be made to look as big a fool as his barber is a 

 diso-race to cE^nineology. You have clubs for almost every 

 breed useful, useless and mixed ; why not get up one for 

 poodles, the general utihty dog? If we were to have but one 

 breed, surely the poodle would be the one entitled to survive. 

 Sui-ely he is better worth a club than those incai-nate devils, 

 boarhounds." 



Knowing Mr. Wade's love and admiration for the mastiff, I 

 wrote and inquired why this apparent neglect of our favorite 

 bi'eed. He immediately answered in his usual entertaining 

 stvle and with his permission I give his reasons herewith: 



"'I fully expected some mastiff man to pick me up on that 

 poodle business. Yet, I am sm-e I am philosophicaliy right on 

 it and am none the less a mastiff' man. E,eniember, I spoke 

 of the poodle as 'the general utility dog,' and it is on this 

 ground that I say, if bat one breed was to survive, it should 

 be the poodle, for there is nothing that dogs are used for 

 (except nigh speed) that the poodle will not readily adapt 

 himself to. He is used in Germany to point game, is naturally 

 and instinctively a retriever, a vermin kiher and a watch dog, 

 and could easily be trained to handle stock. He may not be 

 as good a bird dog as a setter or pointer, as good a vermin dog 

 as a terrier, as good a watch dog as a mastiff, or as good a 

 sheep dog as a collie or a bobtail, yet he would till any place 

 better than any other dog whose specialty it is not, ard by 

 selection and breeding a strain of poodles could be established 

 in whom these characteristics would be hei-editary. I don't 

 think this can be said of any otner dog, so I cannot see any 

 escape from my conclusions. The poodle's intelligence is far 

 more general than that of any other dog; that of tne setter or 

 pointer is only marked in hunting, that of the colhe in stock 

 tending, and the mastiff hardly srtems to have any outside the 

 domain of watching and guarding. I bave seen rats run 

 tinder tbe nose of my mastiffs, and they seem to have not the 

 remotest intention of f oho wing them, while cattle can lua 

 ovei- my garden, thiough my cornfield and over my lawn, 

 and not a whit does Lion or Bertha care, but let a man come 

 on the place and they ai-e alert in an instant- * * * 

 — W. Wade." 



Tiie poodie would inost readily make the best "genei-al 



utility dog," being the easie.st ta.uglit. I firmly believe, how- 

 ever, that with time and iuteUigent attention dogs could be 

 taught to do any thing-the failure to teach I would .set down 

 to the stupidity of the master, and not the lack of intelhsence 

 on the part of the r.iog. V. M II 



LIABILITY FOR A DOG'S BITE. 



SOME of the well known prniciplei^ of law. relating to 

 liabiUtv for a dog s bite, wei-e rpliearspd bv ( 'hief Ju.stice 

 lUcAdarn, of the C'Ltv Court, I>ipw \ oik. i)(=Tv 'I'lie Ctsf. 

 as report=a m the New York Times, was that of Bridget 

 Lahertv a.-arnst James Hogan, both or wlioiu dwell lu a 

 large ea.SL. t-nle tenement house. Hogan had a son who was 

 not 01 auc .■ind the son had a pet do? which lifipt nt home. 

 Bridget Lahertv m lior work about the halls oi the. t<!nemKnt. 

 came auros:s tJie ooa-. and ror some rt a=-'on they did not taKo 

 kindlv to one another, i ue aotr eot m hrst. however, and 

 bit Brida-et. cau?mg not oulv a, di;,. - ror;i,l,l,:' .core. Imt fears of 

 OLjtlhm 111 jih din..,eiou'-. Ih I L (tl ^ni i^mtm 

 till Cut, ( ui It i^aiu-.t Ho in Ini 1 iiii.,i - duum th it tbe 

 dog wa~: vicious and a nuisaiico. ( ne -|iu-t pave a verdict tor 

 Bridget, and t he case was carried up to Ceneral Term. In .his 

 opimon, concurred m by Judge Hall, Judge McAdams reverses 

 the decision and orders a new trial. 



Judge McAdam says: "The theory on which the plaintiff 

 sought to hold the defendant was that, while the dog v/as not 

 his, he maintained it because he ahowcd hi? son, who hved 

 with him, to keep the dog about the premises. Assuming that 

 tbe defendant is liable on this theory, ho was certainly not 

 liable in the absence of knowledge of the animal's wicked 

 propensitie.3. Tlie dog was not of the species that are naturally 

 savage and dangerous, and the defendant had a right to 

 aasuuie. in the absence of knowledge or notice to the contrary, 

 that the animal was kind and of good chai'aeter. There w^as no 

 evidence that tho deiendant knew of any })ropeusity on the 

 part ot the dog to bite mankind. There was no duty iraposed 

 on the owner of a dog to ascertain cha ract")' before he became 

 acquainted with it. Its character was presumed to be good 

 uutil the contrary Avas shown. The plaintiff should prove the 

 knowledge of the owner and keeper of the vicious tendencies 

 of the animal, if it be of a domestic nature, and to chai'.ge the 

 defendant ho must be sliown to have knowledge that tlie ani- 

 mal -was iuclined to do the particular kind of mitchief that 

 had been done. Satisfactory proof of a single instance of the 

 dog tiitiug mankiad previously to the case complained of and 

 of the defendant's knowledge thereof would be sufficient." 

 Judge McAdam refers to the case of Fleming against Orr, in 

 which Lord Cockburn said, in reference to an action for a dog 

 worrying sheep, that "every dog is entitled to one worry." 

 The same rule wotdd seem to apply to mankind. Every dog 

 was entitled to one bite an<l every IduU to one gore before the 

 owner or keeper could be made liable for the results of such 

 tricks on the part of the annuals. 



The court continues: "The dog was not a trespasser in the 

 present in~tauce; he was on the premises of his owner, and 

 there by the pei-inission of the janitor of the building as well. 

 As to the policy and propiiety of keeping do;;:.s in tenements 

 and allowing them to play in the yards thereof it is not neces- 

 sary for us to advise, foi- so long as the owner is allowed to keep 

 them there they are not ti'cspassers. This dog has been kej^t 

 about this same tenement for a long time prior to the injury 

 complained of. The occupants had the same means of as- 

 certaining its character that the defendant had, and 3'et no 

 one seems to have complained of the animal's habits. The 

 plaintiff corjteuds that an idle do.g is a nuisance, and that the 

 defendant is liable on the theoiy of maintaining a nuisance. 

 We cannot subscribe to this as a legal proposition. Many 

 people may believe th^t idle dogs are nvusanecs. But they 

 are not necessarily so in a legal sense. An idle man may be a 

 vagrant, but it dees not follow that all idle men are vagrants. 

 Some idle dogs may be nuisances, bub ib does not follow that 

 all are. * * Mad do5;s or dogs reasonably suspected of 

 having been bitten by a rabid animal are nuisances, and may 

 be killed by any iier.son, if at large, or off of the owners 

 premises. Dogs accustomed to bark at night and distiu-b the 

 neighborhood by their noise are nuisances, and may be killed 

 by any person anno.y ed thereby. W^hen a dog is ferocious and 

 attacks persons he inay be kiU'ed as a nuisance. 



"The proof does not bring the defendant's dog within 

 either of thes^, dohnitions, so that we find no legal significance 

 in the iiiggestiou that defendant is liable for keeping and 

 maini:.aiuiug a nuisance. In short, the plaintiff's case must 

 stand or fall by the old rule that in order to recover scienter 

 mu.st be aUeged and proved, and foi- the failure to give such 

 proof and the error of the trial Judge in charging that scienter 

 might be imphed by the afiluixon of time the judgment must 

 be reversed and a new trial ordered, with costs to the appellant 

 to abide the event." 



FANCIERS' FALLACIES. 



MUTILATIONS. 



IN dealini with this subject it is my desire to approach it in 

 a fair and practical manner, on the one hand not rushing 

 blindly into the arms of those who maintain the acts I shall 

 discuss are done out of pure wanton cruelty, and on the other 

 not sparingthoso who do them for mere fashioner appearance, 

 without contemplating the ynim or mutilation the animals suf- 

 fer. In the first place I will take the cropping of ears. This 

 is usually accoin].)iished when a puppy is four to six months 

 old: the 'ear being sliced off' by a sharp kuff'e, the i emaining 

 l^ortiun is then moulded on (cardboard, and puffed up by the 

 hand daily to get tn..; required shape. There is still a worse 

 jjractice with some, uameiy, cutting away the bahs at the ex- 

 tei nal canal. We have here not merely cruelty, but the hear- 

 ing and even the life of the dog jeopardiz.-d by taking away 

 one of the principal ]ji"otectioiis for the oehcate and comj^li- 

 cated internal auditory apptuatus. Among foxhounds and 

 harriers it is customary to round the ear. This is done I am 

 informed, by scissors or instrument made for the purpose, 

 and Mr. Bnckland relates that the uecessai-y piece is .sometnnes 

 choppsd off' on a block with a chisel and the blow of a mallet. 

 He yofcs on to state, after the first ear has been rounded in 

 this°nfinaer, it is with some diffiealty yon get the creature to 

 come up and have the second operated on. Let us consider 

 the probable reasons. The ear is removed in Sighting, so as 

 not to present a hold for an adversary; as fighting is illegal, 

 this reason may be dismissed at one: ■. y.-coiiJ ly, in some sport- 

 ing dogs the ears are rounded to save tlieui from lieing torn 

 when in jjursnit of game, Tnis appeai-s i-easonable enough, 

 but I am told that one pack at least hunts with the ears as 

 nature fastiioned them, and that the m.ister of the hounds has 

 no cause to regret it. Even if it is necessary, there is at least 

 th s cons(jlation, that the operation is not attended by the 

 many after-citielties that accompany the cropphig of ears of 

 othci- dogs. Thutlly, the ear is mutiiated for mere fashion or 

 custom. I'his is simply degrading, when we consider the ac- 

 companying penalties. Fourthlj-, to prevent disease in the ear ; 

 this is abstu'd, and where the hairs referred to above are cut 

 away presents a source of disease. To sum up, then, it appeai-s 

 to me that the practice of oroijping the ears is as utterly use- 

 less as it is cruel, and is done at an age when a dog can aj)- 

 preciate and remember the p.aln occasioned. 



Now, as to dockine; of tads. This is done when the puppy 

 is o; ly a few days old, and is easily effected by knife, teeth, or 

 even by liu.gers alone ; the pain caused is practically nil, and 

 it is completed at an age when meraorv is short. The reasons 

 for removiu'^- the tail seem to lie first to get l id of a member that 



gards axapearance, I cannot help thinking it does improve some 

 dogs, and certainly in si>atiiels it is a mexnber which would be 

 much ia the way if allowed to remain. 



While on this subject I should like to .say a word for some 

 young dogs who curl their tails up in the show ring when 

 they ought to keep them down. I have seen many dogs re- 

 jected for this reason, who tmder ordinary circumstances 

 caiT.v them in the orthodox manner; and the reason is easy to 

 hud, udien w.3 consider that the animals have been chained 

 tip tor hours on their Vied without relief; the presence of other 

 do.-.s and bitches will also cause rheru to up-rise the tail. I am 

 sure that inau^- who bear theu tails so well in the ling have 

 been subjected to njanv a blow m theu- preparation for the 

 show. It may aiso be niterestnji!: to note that only domes- 

 ticated animals have cai'led t;uls. 



The next nnitdation I sli.';!ll mention is the chjiping of 

 poodles. Ihe actual rp.pj;ition need not be discussed; the 

 ii-asun IS l ashinu, 1 ho sriecial point to which I wish to refer is 

 the deprivanou of coat from that part of tne body— namely, 

 lonis uud aliui.)aien— which is most amenable to cold and dif- 

 tei euLes >A L- • • j , i , i l e. This may not matter in an equable 

 and ludd lA:. , inir own country it seems unkind to 



take aw.iiA ■ ' nral covering, and 1 am assured the 



faneisex.ai ..mv. u tms were pointed out to them, would 



forego the picasni e 01 l ies bi nt asl ic trimming for the cold 

 wmter months iitleas.—iLnLiu, m ihi' Sfock'K''cper 



THE IRISH SETTER SPECIAL.— fc'cii/or Forest and Stream: 

 In compliance with the request of Mr. T. M. Aldrich to answer 

 through vour columns certain questions about the Irish Setter 

 Special, I shah now go through the ordeal, and I hope that 

 my answers will be suggestive of some questions which may 

 1)H aiisvv'ere'l by Mr. J^ldrich, or any one interested in the ad- 

 vaneeineut of the fj'ish setter as a field doi in a practical way. 

 Mr. Win. Ducphy of Peekskill, N. Y., and Dr. Jarvis of Clafe- 

 uiont, N B., ai-j the gentlemen who entrusted me with the 

 prize in question, and not Mr. Aldrich. If either of thos e 

 gentlemen doubt uiy integrity or wisdom in the distribution 

 of their nione\-, I shall be most ha])py to give them an ac- 

 count of !ijy eoudnet , J.ir, Aldrich had made no personal sac- 

 rifice in the matter anil was in-actica!ly imly interested in the 

 vyinniu.g of the money, therefore I woifid not expect impar- 

 tial opinions in the matter from him. norsliould he expect meto 

 answer a (question that does not seem to me to be pertinent. 

 If Mr. Aldrich or the owner of Blarney want to have anything- 

 to say about the manner of giving an Irish special, let them 

 "come down v,dbh tlie dust" as an evidence of good faith, and 

 then tliey have a right to "iiut in their oar." I gave part 

 of it to the Derby, first, because an Irish setter Van there 

 whoso work was as creditable as any work done by Irish 

 .setters in the free for all; second, "because, although the 

 nominations had closed in the Derb.v, beftuethe prize was 

 offered, the entries had not fiUed; thffd, because tbe gentlemen 

 whose advice 1 sought in the matter tiiousrht that the Derby 

 should be con.sidered ; and although I at first thought that 

 Derby do.gs should not be considered, I changed my mind 

 afterward. The cmly reason I saw at any time for excluding 

 Derby dogs was the ditticulty of judging in separate stakes; 

 and when it became evident that the difficulty existed any- 

 how, 1 had no excuse whatever for leavuyg out the puppies. 

 Mr. J. O. DouuerhaC just tlie. same right to decide the Irish 

 spiecial that Mr. White had to request nim to do so; but Mr. 

 Donner's "decision" was not given officially or in the capacity 

 of a judge at all; it Avas simjily a kindly advice which I ac- 

 cepted as a decision; and my action in so doing received the 

 approval of two other gentlemen who were judges at the 

 Eastern field trials. Before Mr. Donner even consented to 

 advise ine in the matter he infoi'med me that the E. F. T. 

 Club should not be held responsible for the disposition of 

 the prize, and I urged that I merely wanted him to give me 

 h's private judgment as he had done in other cases. He 

 then advised that the prize be disposed of by running sep>- 

 arate heats, but Mr. Aldrich would not agree to this, there- 

 fore I had no other alternative but to seek advice from 

 capable, disinterested and honorable people, which advice 

 I acterl upon as a decision, and I doubt that it would have 

 been iquestioned had the full amount been awarded to 

 Blarney. The position is awkard indeed, particularly as I 

 have already on band all the writing I can attend to, and find 

 it impossible to sp li e time to discuss the matter with Mi". Al- 

 di ich, riiucli less to convince him that 1 did not divide Mr. 

 Clarke's money. There is no doubt that the Iriaii Setter Club 

 will act iu tiiue in fubtue and get this special in through the 

 B, j>\ T. Clab in their regular way.— L. W. White. 



THE DOG COLLAR TRADE —The business now known a.s 

 the MedfordFancN' Goods Co., w^as started by Mr. I. Bremer in 

 ISbO at Medford, Mass., with a capital of about §10. In 18S2 

 his business liad grown beyond liis capital and he removed to 

 Ne wYork and tor uied a stock company with a capital of $10,000. 

 They opened at o09 Broatlway, and have since occupied stores 

 at91 Duaue streetOG Dtiane street, and ltd Chamboi s street, each 

 time being compelled to reiuov .J to increase facUities. Their 

 last move has been to organize a comijany with a capital of 

 -SlU.tlUO and to open a store at ;u7 Ib oadvvay, on the ground 

 ffoor, which will fio elegantly fitted ti]3 for the proper display 

 of their iiuni'.M-oris designs. The woudeiful growth of "this 

 business 1.- ,-h">-.'n ijy the fact that six years ago there were 

 hardly ni.'M-" w..Hli of dog collars in the country, and all that 

 were hi re, were uepoj ted goods. W hen they first started, they 

 made twenty dineieiiL .ifeyies of collars, now they have over 

 tnree thouiuud bi> Jes fur dogs of evei-}' srze or breed, besides 

 manufacturing everything iu the tlog furnishing line, which 

 will add to tneir comtoz t or adornment. Their goods are 

 handled liy the trade from Portland, Me., to Portland, Ore- 

 gon, etc, 



A BROKEN BARGAIN.— Boston, Dec. 21.— Editor Forest 

 and Stream: I am the owner of a buU-teirier dog thought to 

 be of some considerable value. A few months ago Mr. E. B. 

 Wood, of this city, came tome for his services, which! told 

 him he could have (,if his bitch was satisfactory to me) by 

 I'ivdu"- me choice of pups. Ihis was well uudea-stood and 

 at'ree'i'l to by hiur. There were two males only in the litter — 

 No 1 the image of the father. No. :.' not at all tike the other 

 and with murks I judged a tlirow-back to a previous litter, 

 i saw the pups thi'ee times beiore they were five weeks old 

 and told Mr. W ood I should take i\o. 1, which he well under- 

 stood On going to get the pup at five weeks old, he coolly 

 informed me that iie had disposed of No, 1 and 1 could take 



tleraen toVarry^out agreernenis of this kmd. Our coiTespon- 

 dent should consult a lawyer and reclaim the dog if possible.] 



THE HARTFORD (CONN.) ElBNNEL CIJOB. — Editor 

 Forest a.nd Strearn: At a meeting held Jan. 3 this club elected 

 the following olticers; Wm. L. Matson, President; E. Knight 

 Soerry "Vice-President; A. C. Collins, Secretary ; J. A. Butler, 

 Jr Treasurer. Board of Managers— Atwood CoUius, D. W. 

 r Skilton Henry T. Sperry, Joseph G. Lane, Robert G. 

 Griiin- Joseph EI. Lanman, W. B. Nelson, E. K. Sperry, A. 

 C. Colims, J. A. Butler, Jr.— A. C. ColJuINS, Secretary (Hart,- 

 ford. Conn., Jan. 6).^ 



THE NEW HAVEN KENNEL CLUB.— New Haven, Conn., 

 Jan. T, IHSa.— Editor Fareat nnd Slream: At the annual 

 meeting of the New Haven Kennel Club, held Wednesday, 

 Jan. t>, the following olfioers were elected: pi-esident, G. 

 Edward Osborn; Vice-President, James A. Howaif h; Secre- 

 tary. S. R. Hemingway: Treasm'er. L. B. Morgan.— S. R. 

 HEMiNGWAy, fcleovfetary. 



