Any observations on British dogs at work would of necessity be incomplete without some reference to the various breeds of terriers, but there are so many excellent works upon this subject that but few observations of mine are called for. Nearly everybody has kept a terrier of sorts at some time or another. Whether as house guards, companions, or workers they are to be numbered among the indispensable friends of man. First place in popularity must be assigned to the fox terrier, whose value ranges from a few shillings to several hundreds of pounds, according to his quality.

It is not an easy thing to breed a good one, or we should have more champions about, considering the thousands that come into the world each year. The short-legged, cobby dog, so familiar to many of us in our boyhood, the type beloved by Parson Jack Russell, has passed away, and has been succeeded by a terrier that shows considerably more daylight underneath, and is longer and slacker in his couplings. His chest, too, is narrower, and he is several pounds heavier. It is very doubtful if he can live as well with hounds or go to earth as easily as his predecessor of twenty or thirty years ago. I have no doubt he is more plumb true in front, while his head is a distinct improvement so far as looks are concerned, but that scarcely makes up for his diminution in utility. A terrier of some description has been known for centuries as being employed in bolting foxes or badgers, but he was probably of a nondescript description. Beckford recommends a good terrier to his imaginary correspondent, pleading a preference for a black or white.

"Some there are so like a fox," he says, "that awkward people frequently mistake one for the other."Unfortunately, he does not help us much on the question of size. "Large ones are useful at times," he writes, " if they are to run with the pack, but in an earth they da little good, as they cannot always get up to a fox." Most of us, I suppose, can recall many a happy day with ferret and terrier bolting rabbits, and I can remember enormous quantities of rats destroyed in the same manner. Ratting provides plenty of fun, while serving a useful purpose at the same time. Is it necessary to remind you that this was one of the accomplishments acquired at Cambridge by the incomparable Calverley, who -

Learned to work the wary dog-cart

Artfully through King's Parade; Dress, and steer a boat, and sport with

Amaryllis in the shade: Struck, at Brown's, the dashing hazard;

Or (more curious sport than that) Dropped, at Callaby's, the terrier

Down upon the prisoned rat.

Marvellous accounts are on record of the numbers of rats killed by a terrier in an incredibly short period. Youatt, for instance, is responsible for the statement that a hundred large rats were turned into a pit and killed by a celebrated dog in six minutes thirty-five seconds. He was such a nailer that, when old and with but one eye and a couple of teeth, he accounted for fifty rodents in five minutes six seconds. This, however, must be classed as a poor form of sport, except with the object of making a young dog clever.

The sterling qualities of the Irish terrier are such as to have earned him the sobriquet of Die-hard, and well does he deserve it. Ready for any work, he has a dash and go tempered with intelligence that endear him to the heart of his master. Nothing comes amiss to Paddy, and he has a constitution that equips him for any amount of fatigue and exposure. He is bigger than the fox terrier, the desirable weight for dogs being 24 lbs., and for bitches a couple of pounds less. In spite of his gameness he has an admirable temper to swell the credit side of his good qualities.

The quaint, rugged - looking Scottish terrier has made remarkable advances in popular favour during the last decade, and he has become so well established that no further booming on the part of his friends is necessary. His short, wiry coat is of little trouble to keep in order, nor does it pick up the dirt in the same manner as that of a longer-haired dog. The Skye terrier must surely be first cousin to him, but he is blessed with a long, flat coat, which must require much grooming and manipulation before he is fit for the show bench. He has the appearance of suffering from over-civilisation, and I must admit a preference for the hardier-looking Scottie. However, many men many minds, or perhaps one should more correctly say ladies in this case, for they seem to have taken the Skye under their wing.

To Sir Walter Scott belongs the credit of having provided a distinctive name for the Dandie Dinmont. Sir Walter knew a dog, and would have him put to his proper uses. What does Dinmont say? "A bonny terrier that, sir - and a fell chield at the vermin, I warrant him - that is, if he has been weel entered, for it a' lies in that."

"Really, sir," said Brown, "his education has been somewhat neglected, and his chief property is being a pleasant companion."

"Ay, sir? - that's a pity, begging your pardon - it's a great pity that; beast or body, education should aye be minded. I have six terriers at hame, forbye twa couple of slow-hunds, five grews, and a wheen other dogs. There's auld Pepper and auld Mustard, and young Pepper and young Mustard, and little Pepper and little Mustard. I had them a' regularly entered, first wi' rottens, then wi' stots or weasels, and then wi' the tods and brocks, and now they fear naething that ever cam' wi' a hairy skin on't."

It is claimed that the modern Dandie is descended directly from the terriers described by the great romancer, and I see no reason why that should not be so. It seems to be admitted that the breed has come down from the kennels of James Davidson of Hindlee, and although Sir Walter has stated in his notes to Guy Mannering that the character of Dandie Dinmont was a composite one, and not a portrait of any individual, he also says that Davidson had the humour of naming a celebrated race of terriers which he possessed by the generic names of Mustard and Pepper, according as their colour was yellow or greyish-black, without any other individual distinction, except as according to the nomenclature in the text. Scott further adds that so generally was the name of Dandie Dinmont associated with Davidson that when an English lady, desirous of possessing a brace of the celebrated terriers, addressed him under that name, the letter reached Mr. Davidson.

The appearance of the Dandle is too familiar to call for description. He is now, as he seems always to have been, a hardy, game little tyke.

The Airedale is too big to answer well to the name of terrier, a dog weighing from 40 to 45 lbs., while a bitch would be slightly less. For all that he is a sportsman, if he is unable to go to ground owing to his size; a hound is supposed to have figured in his ancestry, but since he has come to be exhibited in large numbers care has been taken over his breeding, and he now comes as true to type as any other dog. Another North Country dog is the Bedlington, who also has much to commend him, but as far as one can see, he is not greatly in favour outside the kennels of a few enthusiasts.

It is only some twenty years ago that the Welsh terrier made a sort of apologetic appearance in the Kennel Club Stud-Book, but things have looked up with him since then. This is not surprising, as he is a smart little fellow with plenty of spirit and many good points to recommend him. He is a black-and-tan, or black, grizzle, and tan, with a hard wiry coat, and any amount of terrier character. Average weight about 20 lbs.

When the anti-cropping edict was promulgated by the Kennel Club plenty of pessimists were found to declare in season and out of season that the bull terrier was doomed, as it was difficult to picture one without cropped ears. Fortunately these croakings have not been fulfilled, breeders settling down to the sensible course of trying to produce a presentable ear. There is a clean built, muscular look about him that is pleasing to the eye, and his courage is beyond aspersion. He is a dog that will fight to the death, but there is no great practical use for him to-day, since dog-fighting and badger-baiting have gone by the board. No better guard could be wished, the very sight of him being a terror to evildoers.

One word of advice to the novice who may contemplate buying a wire-haired terrier of any description. You may buy a smart, trim-looking fellow at a show, and in a few weeks you will be disgusted to find that he is growing a profuse, woolly coat. Remembering the Kennel Club rules against trimming you will wonder how such things can be. Well, there is no doubt that matters are not at all in a satisfactory condition, for it is generally recognised that all these dogs are subjected to a considerable amount of preparation, to call it by its mildest term, before they are regarded as fit for the critical scrutiny of the judge. We are told that it is impossible to breed a rough terrier with the correct coat, but I am inclined to think that breeders are following the line of least resistance, and laying a pretty rod in pickle for themselves. If the coat of a dog can be got into condition by clever manipulation, is there not a danger of breeders ignoring this desirable point altogether, and ultimately producing a soft woolly-coated terrier quite unsuited to hard work and wet? With so many able terrier men about I cannot think that the production of a coat of desired length and texture is an impossibility, although sacrifices would have to be made in the intermediate stages.