THE TERRIER, 
697 
and the muzzle considerably pointed ; and possessing a most 
exquisite sense of smell, which enables him to trace the 
footsteps of other animals with unerring certainty. His 
colour for the most part sandy, and in some black. If 
white or pied, it is a sure mark of impurity of the breed. 
The hair is rather long, matted, and hard, over almost every 
part of his body. 
There are three distinct varieties of the Scotch terrier : 
viz., the ordinary kind above described ; that of the Isle of 
Sky, with long, somewhat flowing hair, the body long, and 
the legs short, and bent inwards at the knees. This kind is 
somewhat larger than the common breed. The third is a 
larger dog, standing from fifteen to eighteen inches in 
height, and with the hair very strong and stiff, and hence 
termed wire-haired. 
The name terrier seems to be derived from the Latin word 
terra , “ the earth,” from the avidity with which he takes the 
earth in pursuit of all those animals which burrow. 
The terrier, amongst the higher orders of sportsmen, is 
preserved in his greatest purity, and with the most assidu¬ 
ous attention; and it seems of the utmost importance not to 
increase its size, which would render him unsuitable for 
the purposes in which he is employed, namely, that of 
entering to drive out other animals from their burrows, for 
which his make and strength, and invincible ardour, pecu¬ 
liarly fit him. On this account he is the univeral attendant 
upon a pack of foxhounds; and though last in the pursuit, 
he is not the least in value. It is when the fox is supposed to 
have earthed that the services of the terrier are more essen¬ 
tially required : he enters with the utmost eagerness, and 
soon informs the ear of the sportsman whether or not the fox 
is in, and at what distance from the mouth, when he is speedily 
dug out 
