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of the ears, which is greater than in the Blenheims; these being also lighter in frame, and always yellow or red and white. Both are small delicate dogs, and though they have pretty good noses, and will hunt game readily, yet they so soon tire that they are rarely used for the purpose, and are solely kept for their ornamental

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properties. They make good watch dogs in-doors, barking at the slightest noise, and thus giving notice of the approach of improper persons; nor, though they are somewhat timid, are they readily silenced, as their small size allows of their retreating beneath chairs and sofas, from which asylum they keep up their sharp and

shrill note of defiance. The great objection to these handsome little creatures as pets is that they follow badly out of doors, and as they are always ready to be fondled by a stranger, they are very liable to be stolen. Hence many people prefer the toy terrier, or the Skye, which is now introduced very extensively as a toy dog, and might with equal propriety be inserted in this chapter, as in that which he occupies. The King Charles and Blenheim spaniels are often crossed, and then you may have good specimens of each from the same litter, but if true their colours never vary.

The points of the King Charles spaniel are: extremely short muzzle, which should be slightly turned up; black nose and palate; full prominent eye, which is continually weeping, leaving a gutter of moisture down the cheek; a round bullet-shaped head, with a well-marked "stop" between the eyes; very long, full-haired, and silky ears, which should fall close to the cheeks, and not stand out from them. The body is covered with wavy hair of a silky texture, without curl; and the legs should be feathered to the toes, the length and silkiness of this being a great point. Tail well feathered, but not bushy; it is usually cropped. The colour should be a rich black and tan, without a white hair; but those marked as in the left-hand dog of the engraving are not to be despised, and sometimes make their appearance in a litter of which both sire and dam had scarcely a white hair. The weight should never exceed 6, or at the utmost 7 lbs. ; and they are valued the more if they are as low as 4 or 5 lbs.

The points of the Blenheim vary very little from those of the King Charles, except in colour, which is always a white ground

with red or yellow spots, and there should be a well-marked blaze of white between the eyes. The ears should be coloured, and also the whole of the head with the exception of the nose and a white mark up the forehead, as is shown in the right-hand figure of the cut, which represents the Blenheim pretty accurately. The palate is black like that of the King Charles; and there is little difference in shape, though an experienced eye could detect the one from the other even irrespective of colour. This dog is generally slightly less than the King Charles.

THE PUG.

This curly-tailed and pretty little toy dog was out of fashion in England for some years, but has recently come again into such vogue that a good pug will fetch from 20 to 35 guineas. The British breed, however, which is one of those known to have existed from the earliest times, was never entirely lost, having been carefully preserved in a few families. The Dutch have always had a fondness for the pug dog, and in Holland the breed is common enough, but the same attention has not been paid to it as in England, and yellow masks, low foreheads, and pointed noses are constantly making their appearance in them, from the impure blood creeping out, and showing evidences of the crosses which have taken place. For the sketch of the very beautiful pair of these dogs which is engraved on the next page,

I am indebted to one of the first toy dog breeders of the day, Mr. Morrison, of Walham Green, who has been long engaged in bringing his stock to their present state of perfection, and whose

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"PUNCH" and "TETTY," Pugs, the property of C. Morrison, Esq., of Walham Green.

admirable management is shown in the healthy appearance of all of them. These dogs are not remarkable for sagacity displayed in any shape, but they are very affectionate and playful, and, like the Dutch and Flemish cows, they bear the confinement of the house better than many other breeds, racing over the carpets in

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Punch," out of Mr. Morrison's "Minnie;" Tetty," out of his "Mouse;" both by his "Charlie."

their play as freely as others do over the turf. For this reason, as well as the sweetness of their skins, and their short and soft coats, they are much liked by the ladies as pets.

Their points are as follows:- General appearance low and thickset, the legs being short, and the body as close to the ground as possible, but with an elegant outline. Weight from 6 to 10 lbs. Colour fawn, with black mask and vent. The clearer the fawn, and the more distinctly marked the black on the mask, which should extend to the eyes, the better; but there is generally a slightly darker line down the back. Some strains have the hair all over the body tipped with "smut," but on them the mask is sure to shade off too gently, without the clear line which is valued by the fancier. Coat short, thick, and silky. Head round, forehead high; nose short, but not turned up; and level-mouthed. Ears, when cut, cropped quite close, naturally rather short but falling. Neck of moderate length, stout but not throaty. Chest wide, deep, and round. Tail short, and curled closely to the side, not standing up above the back. It is remarkable that the tail in the dog generally falls over the off side, while in the bitch it lies on the near. The legs are straight, with small bone, but well clothed with muscle. Feet like the hare, not cat-footed. No dew-claws on the hind legs. The height is from 11 to 15 inches.

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