Credit: Best Friends, 1877, Hardy, Heywood (1842-1933) / Private Collection / © Walker Galleries, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, UK / The Bridgeman Art Library

The Harnden Dog

The Harnden Dog: It’s hard to miss the imposing English mastiff crouched at the base of the prominent tomb of William Frederick Harnden (1812-45). Sheltered from the elements by the neoclassical monument’s four-gabled top, this marble watchdog remains in excellent condition, his gaze as vigilant as ever and the sharpness of his claws and loose skin folds still remarkably intact. The Harnden Memorial, by Boston sculptor Thomas A. Carew, was erected in 1866 by The Express Companies in honor of the visionary businessman who launched America’s first express package delivery service. Ms. Winslow told me that, in addition to capitalizing on the nation’s developing rail system to transport packages between Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Albany, Harnden and Company also facilitated the “import” of 100,000 European laborers on his trans-Atlantic shipping routes. Harnden’s business model was innovative but unprofitable, and his early death (at just 39) left him no time for a second act.

Wellsboro Agitator, The  
deumte re milts H I- I'M as impossibli to reed he com fir this whin planted and -et au -.-vet, constitution'from it as-It s f.-eil a pug doe in order to make hfiii' ttriAv into a Newfoundland-or a. mastiff.. HOTHOUSE TOMATOES. Lorillard nntl Bent All Are Popular Knrni ____ The cow til-it y...i ih.-'ik tlu-inwr may be i lu- rid of
Wednesday, February 27, 1907 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Wellsboro Gazette  
temperature of the bonded will restore to and oihtr said at go there and talii eres Bnappinff he of the long ahead and his power to take Atlantic arraoe de- frotn tbf f .tedAben ami Wg as a mastiff would t terHer. fl.krt bad oorered tie ground with thc helpless white mantie which miuJe hit fiercely. Inaudible as he walked not yrili- e
Thursday, June 08, 1899 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Wellsboro Agitator, The  
NATURAL L The London police after a long search i a gang of cleverest iof ITEMS All operating in recent years The members gang have si are threatened in Ecuador J li I S STOCK WE ABE JL MASTIFF ITS CHANGE IN THE OFFICE I ed in doing what waa long claimed by experts td OF THE HOYTVILLE 16 f have rf simply reach np a handful of the lusciou
Wednesday, November 18, 1891 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Wellsboro Gazette  
PAINT SALE interior paint now on sale. Over 1500 colors to choose from. Sweet's Act- Main St.. Welishoro TF FLAGS FOR SALE 4 flags cotton or nylon. The TW. Judge Co. MINI POTBELLIED PIGS. Also Neapolitan Mastiff pups. In- quiries welcome. 2093 85 CHEVY CAVALIER current 5 speed. 724-1755. After5 p.m. 2T 1986 CHEVY 4 5 spd cassett
Wednesday, February 06, 1991 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Wellsboro Agitator, The  
eyes, which looked straight out at you from under the heavy, overhang- Ing brows, had in them Estrange and Indescribable fascination. He was a could meant to have his own way a sort of mastiff- dangerous when aroused. "I have come to offer congratula- he said, addressing himself to Oldsworth's, wife and holding out his band, whic
Wednesday, July 13, 1910 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Wellsboro Agitator, The  
new fad. Qirla with slender waists have lo wearing dog co I tare in the place of belts. of Is the back' of the but it is a go nevertheless. The collars vary in but most. of them- are of the mastiff and nearly all of them can be let out. In a walk down one of the princi- pal the other afternoon five young ladlea this highly origina
Tuesday, July 16, 1889 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Wellsboro Agitator, The  
one day last week. t Robert CamplUlU oif who had been suffering with a cancer for a long died last Wednesday. The waa held at tbe Presbyterian church at Kelson on E. a of bought an English mastiff after his store wu brok- en open by burglars recently. He paid for the watch-dog. Last week the ani- mal died oj distemper. is elated tha
Tuesday, May 15, 1888 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Wellsboro Agitator, The  
Jew diya a workman In the fae- ry of L M. at cut his right hand seriously a few ago while tunqiDg a circular saw. E. G. a leading Elkland merchant whpfie store was recently has. purchased a thoroughbred English mastiff to wail upon midnight ia expected that Judge'H. H. of WllliamsporV will occupy the beqch to-day for the purpose o
Tuesday, April 03, 1888 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania 

Tioga County Agitator, The  
tipV i v .i' v j 1 T-J WILLOW GtASS 4 IT a And one-mean t STI he iw'H i .arrange iny apd hard and in pride.' and the A i ttiifl I quite eibausted his Dinjr' etock of Go and bring B the large mastiff at hjs j perf fierce as his the of Hie of fcarn niui fa CABS its i A _ 4 I of i ParticulnrLOttcntion paid to Fine lers __ t't.to oxawin
Wednesday, July 17, 1867 Wellsboro, Pennsylvania

From British Dogs W K Taunton among others
FIG. ii. ROMAN BOARHOUND. to admit ot present-day dog-lovers forming a comparison between their dogs and those, say, of the Assyrian or the Grecian periods. What is recorded is the fact that the Assyrian war-dogs stood as high at shoulder as 35in., that the Mastiff of Epirus in Grecian times was at least heavier, and that the early British dog, in both size and ferocity, eclipsed either. Rome also had her boar- hounds ^Fig. IT), her Greyhounds, perhaps her Italian Greyhounds, 




CHAPTER II THE MASTIFF MUCH has been written upon the origin of the Mastiff, but the writers are by no means agreed upon the subject. There can, however, be no doubt that a dog possessing many of the qualities of our Mastiff of the present day has been known in this country from time immemorial. The Romans, when they invaded these islands, found the natives possessed of a large and powerful race of dogs, from which the Mastiff, as known to us, is in all probability descended. Many of these dogs were exported to Rome, to take part in the sports of the amphitheatre, which shows how highly their courage was estimated in those days ; and it is stated that a special officer was appointed to superintend the selection and transmission of these dogs. The Mastiff is one of the three kinds of Cur dogs mentioned in the old Welsh laws of the ninth century, and is constantly re- ferred to by old English writers as a house-dog and guardian of live stock and other property. In the forest laws of Henry II. the keeping of these dogs in or near royal forests was the subject of special regulations which would now be considered cruel and oppressive. The statute, which prohibited all but a few privileged individuals from keeping Greyhounds or Spaniels, provided that farmers and substantial freeholders dwelling within the forests might keep Mastiffs for the defence of their houses within the same, pro- vided such Mastiffs be expediated according to the laws of the forest. This " expediating," " hambling," or " lawing," as it was indifferently termed, was .intended so to maim the dog as to reduce to a minimum the chances of his chasing and seizing the deer, and the law enforced its being done after the following manner : " Three claws of the fore foot shall be cut off by the skin, by setting one of his fore feet upon a piece of wood 8 inches thick and i foot square, and with a mallet, setting a chisel of 2 inches broad upon the three claws of his fore feet, and at one blow cutting them clean off." The etymology of the word Mastiff has exercised many writers, and very opposite opinions have been expressed with reference to 16 THE MASTIFF 17 it. " Idstone " derives the word from " Mase Theefe," or " Master Theefe," because the dog was a terror to thieves, and this view was adopted by Manwood in his Forest Laws. The Rev. M. B. Wynn says the word is of Norman introduction, and he derives it from " the Latin massivus, massa, a mass, and applied to the breed on account of the thick-set, massive, or masty, form of the animal." Skeat derives the word from the French Low Latin Latin, and says : " Old French mas t if not found, but probably a variant of O. F. mastin (French matin), a ' mastive ' ; Cotgrave. The Low Latin form would be mastinus, doubtless short for masnatinus, i.e. house-dog, from Low Latin masnata, a household." The general character of the breed is well described in the points of the Mastiff of the Old English Mastiff Club : " Large, massive, powerful, symmetrical, and well-knit frame. A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage and docility." As a watch-dog and as a guard to person or property, the Mastiff cannot be sur- passed, nor, in fact, is his equal for these purposes to be found in any other breed of dog. His size and great power are sufficient to make any one cautious of entering premises where one of these dogs is known to be kept, or interfering with any one accompanied by a dog of this breed, whilst his docility and good temper render him an excellent companion. Children may be trusted with a Mas- tiff with safety, as he is very reliable in temper. Care must be taken to select a dog of pure breed, as a cross-bred Mastiff is frequently not to be depended on. He is the gamekeeper's best companion and preserver from night marauders, and for this purpose a dark brindled dog is preferable to a fawn, not being so easily seen at night. The average height of the Mastiff is about 3oin. for dogs, and 2 Sin. for bitches; but the larger they are, the better, provided there is a proportionate increase in size throughout. A dog which stands 33in. high must have a larger head, a deeper and longer body, and possess more bone than one standing 3oin. Extra height alone is not desirable. The recognised colours of the present day are apricot or silver fawns and dark brindles, the red, which was to be met with some years ago, having apparently died out. Black is also spoken of as a Mastiff colour of bygone days, whilst blue-brindles are occasion- ally to be met with in litters. It is a colour not to be encouraged from a show point of view ; but the breeder will be wise in not destroying puppies of this colour too hastily, for some of our best dark brindles have been bred from bitches of this colour. It is difficult to say whence this blue-brindle comes, but it has generally occurred in litters of puppies whose parentage traces back to Mr. Lindoe's Druid. The puppies when whelped are of a blue or slate colour, and the brindle markings do not appear till later. These dogs almost invariably possess light-coloured eyes. 1 8 BRITISH DOGS Of the various strains of Mastiffs the Lyme Hall is one of the most ancient. It has been in the Legh family since the fifteenth century. The late Mr. Kingdon was a strong advocate for the purity of this strain, and maintained that no out-cross had been resorted to. This, however, has been disputed, and about twenty years ago a letter from a well-known Mastiff breeder was published, in which he stated that he was in possession of a communication from Mr. Legh which tended to show that Mr. Kingdon was mistaken upon this point. The Duke of Devonshire also possessed a celebrated strain of Mastiffs at Chatsworth, and it was from a bitch obtained from this source in the early part of the last century that Mr. Lukey laid the foundation of his well-known kennel of Mastiffs. It is from dogs bred by Mr. Lukey that most of the best Mastiffs of to-day are descended. Among other noted breeders following close upon Mr. Lukey will be found the names of Captain Gamier, Mr. Edgar Hanbury, Rev. M. B. Wynn, Mr. Edwin Nichols, and Miss Anglionbury, who was the breeder of Turk (2,349), one of the most noted Mastiffs of thirty years ago, and winner of numerous prizes between 1870 and 1875. This dog had many owners, but was eventually purchased by Mr. Edwin Brough, who has made a world-wide reputation as a breeder of Bloodhounds, but who at that time was breeding Mastiffs, and with him Turk ended his days. It is difficult to find a Mastiff of any note without this dog's name appearing in its pedigree; but as in those days any number of dogs could be called by the same name, it is more than probable that this celebrated Mastiff was credited with being the father of puppies sired by some other dog of the same name. Turk was one of the few dogs sired by Mr. Field's King (2,301), a grandson of Mr. Lukey's Governor. He was a fawn dog, as was also his sire. Another celebrated dog of about the same period was Mr. Green's Monarch (2,316). It is to be regretted that this dog was not more extensively used at stud, as his great size and bone and excellent legs and feet are qualities which he transmitted to many of his progeny. On the other hand, his rough coat and high carriage of tail were faults objected to by many faults which were apparent in many of his immediate descendants, but probably more so in those of the next generation. These defects could have been, and in fact were, bred out with a little care and attention. Mr. Hanbury's Rajah (2,333), besides being the winner of many prizes, left his mark as a stud dog in being the sire of Wolsey (S>3 I S) a dark brindle which colour he inherited from his dam, Mr. Hanbury's Queen and The Shah (4,45?), which, like his father, was a fawn, but not so dark in muzzle and ears, nor so good in shape of skull, as could be wished. This dog was first exhibited as a ouppy by his breeder, Mr. W. H. Balleston, at the Crystal Palace THE MASTIFF in 1874, and was there claimed at his catalogue price, much to the chagrin of his owner. Among the most noted of his stock was Mrs. Rawlinson's The Emperor (9,340). At the Alexandra Palace Show held in 1880 Mr. Woolmore brought out Crown Prince, a Mastiff about which there has been more discussion than probably any other. It was thought by many that his Dudley nose and light eyes would throw him out of competition, but the Rev. W. J. Mellor, who was the judge, decided otherwise, and awarded him premier honours in the puppy class, and afterwards endorsed his opinion by purchasing the : : FIG. 19. THE MASTIFF MINTING, OWNED BY E. H. i MOORE, MELROSE, MASS., WINNER OF AMERICAN MASTIFF CLUB'S CHALLENGE CUP, ETC. dog, although he did not retain him long in his possession. No sooner was the dog seen than the correctness of his pedigree on his sire's side was questioned, some expressing their opinion that instead of being a son of Young Prince, his reputed sire, there could be little doubt that he was a son of The Shah, whilst others were equally decided in their opinion that no other dog than The Emperor could be his sire. It should be mentioned that all these three dogs, Young Prince, The Shah, and The Emperor, although the property of different owners, were at the time under the charge of the same man. 20 BRITISH DOGS So long as the question was confined to expressions of opinion only, no steps could be taken to attempt to clear the matter up ; but as soon as a public statement was made that direct evidence was forthcoming that The Emperor was the sire and that the breeder of Crown Prince was cognisant of the fact, the Committee of the Old English Mastiff Club felt that the time had arrived when something should be done to clear up the question whether The Emperor was really the sire of this dog. All who were in any way interested in the matter were invited to give evidence before the Committee. After a long and exhaustive enquiry, which ex- tended over many meetings, the Committee came to the conclusion that Mr. Woolmore fully believed that Young Prince was the sire of Crown Prince, and that sufficient evidence had not been brought forward to show that the registered pedigree of this dog was incorrect. This decision was adversely criticised at the time, more especially by Mr. Dalziel, and by Mr. Evans, who had purchased The Emperor, but no disinterested person who was present at the investigation and heard the evidence could have come to any other conclusion. Crown Prince was extensively used at stud, the result being that many of his faults became apparent in the breed. Light eyes, which are so objectionable in a Mastiff, were commonly to be met with, and the bad hindquarters, from which so many of our Mastiffs suffer, are in most cases traceable to the indiscriminate ,use of this dog. The Dudley nose appears from time to time in litters of Mastiffs, but breeders have been wise enough to destroy the puppies possessing this fault. Mr. Beaufoy's Beau (6,356) was not a great success at stud until his show days were drawing to a close, when, among other good Mastiffs, he got Beaufort, the best all-round Mastiff that has been seen for many years, and Cambrian Princess, another grand specimen of the breed, the dam of Minting (Fig. 19). Beaufort (18,504) was bred by Mr. Sidney Turner, who has bred many good Mastiffs, and was purchased from him by the writer. This dog, for which an offer of ^"400 was refused, had a most successful career as a show dog and at stud in both this country and America. Minting was bred by Mrs. Willins by Maximilian, a son of The Emperor. Unfortunately for the breed in this country, he was purchased by Mr. E. H. Moore, of Melrose, Mass., U.S.A., for whom he won numerous prizes. Minting died a short time before the arrival of Beaufort in America, otherwise the meeting of these two famous Mastiffs would have been very interesting. There are few dogs that have done more good for the breed than the brindle Cardinal (8,410). He became the property of the writer at a time when Mastiffs of this colour were very scarce, the colour being at that time by no means a popular one. He was not, there- THE MASTIFF 21 fore, used at stud so much as he should have been ; but it is a fact worthy of note that most of the winning Mastiffs of the past few years have been brindles, all of which trace their pedigrees back to this dog. - Before attempting to breed Mastiffs, the breeder should have a clear and definite idea as to what he wishes to breed, and having made up his mind upon this point, he must devote all his energies to attain what he desires. If his aim is to breed a dog exceptionally good in one particular point, he will find his task a far easier one than to breed a dog good all round ; but if he gains his end he will probably be disappointed in the result, as the dog may possibly be so bad in other points as to be a constant eyesore to its owner. Unfortunately, there appears to be an impression among some who attempt to breed Mastiffs that if they devote all their attention to obtaining one quality, they can, when they have obtained this, turn their attention to other points, and in this way they will in course of time succeed in producing a perfect animal. There is not a greater mistake in Mastiff breeding. A breeder cannot afford to ignore the smallest detail, and he should ever bear in mind that if he once allows a fault to be perpetuated, it may take him many years to eradicate it, even if he is so fortunate as to do so at last. If a few of those who have been breeding Mastiffs within the last ten or twenty years had displayed the same amount of enthusiasm in endeavouring to breed dogs with as few faults as possible as they have shown in their attempts to produce a dog excelling in one or two particular points, they would have done more good, and there would be a larger number of better Mastiffs than at present. In selecting the brood bitch, her pedigree is a matter of the first importance, for unless this is known the breeder cannot tell how she should be mated. She should not be bred from until she has attained the age of about fifteen months. Length of body and width across the loins are essential points to be looked for. Ascertain, if possible, whether any faults that are apparent in her such, for instance, as bad legs and feet are the result of bad rearing or are hereditary. If the bitch is deficient in size, her pedigree should be carefully examined in order to make sure whether she comes from a strain of small Mastiffs or whether her ancestors were animals of average size. It does not necessarily follow that a small bitch will not throw large puppies ; so much depends upon her breeding. The dam of Mr. Green's Monarch (2,316) was very small, but Monarch was a very large dog, standing over 33in., and many of his progeny were also dogs of unusual size. Should the bitch be light in colour, a cross with a dark brindle dog is desirable. Puppies, one of the parents of which is a fawn and the other a brindle, are generally distinctly of one colour or the other. The next thing to do is to select the stud dog, and here again the pedigree must be carefully examined with a view to ascertain in 22 BRITISH DOGS what respects the dog is likely to suit the bitch. In speaking of examining a pedigree, it is not to be supposed that merely looking at the names of a number of Mastiffs on paper will be of any assistance to a breeder unless he has a knowledge of the dogs themselves. The mere fact of a dog and his ancestors having been prize-winners is no guide to any one as to whether he will suit the bitch that it is proposed to mate with him. The breeder must ascertain the good qualities of the dog and his ancestors as well as their faults. He will then be in a position to know whether by using a certain dog he is likely to correct the faults that may be apparent in his bitch, or which have been noticeable in her ancestors, and which, although the bitch herself may not show them, are likely to reappear in her progeny. If it is desired to secure any particular quality, it is necessary in some cases to resort to in-breeding ; but in doing so great judgment is required, and it is better to avoid it if the same results can be obtained in other ways. The general opinion is that in-breeding tends to decrease size, and that dogs and bitches so -bred are less reliable breeders. That the latter is the case admits of very little doubt; but it is, in the writer's opinion somewhat questionable whether the former is necessarily the case, provided the animals used are of a large strain, and that in-breeding is resorted to within certain limits only. The bitch should be fed twice a day after she has visited the dog, and have regular exercise up to the time she is due to whelp. It is desirable to have foster-mothers ready to rear the puppies, for although many Mastiffs are excellent mothers, it not infrequently happens that they are clumsy, and many a time a breeder is grievously disappointed at finding that the best puppies in the litter have been killed by the dam laying on them. The puppies should be in- duced to take a little milk thickened with arrowroot as soon as they are able to lap. If goat's milk is to be obtained, it is far preferable to that of the cow, but it is much too expensive to purchase. It is, however, well worth the breeder's while to keep a goat on the premises, if he has the convenience for doing so. It has been asserted that puppies reared on goat's milk will be free from worms, but this is not by any means invariably the case. A hornless goat should be selected, if possible, as there is far less risk of her injuring the puppies if she is allowed to be about with them. The puppies should be fed frequently, at regular intervals, not more being given to them at a time than they will readily eat up. A small quantity of cod liver oil mixed with the food may be given with advantage. Puppies should have their liberty, and not be chained up on any account, although it is desirable to accustom them to a collar and chain when young, as it saves much trouble later on. They should not be pampered, but receive good, nourishing food 40 FIG. 20. MR. R. LEADBETTER'S BRINDLE MASTIFF CHAMPION MARKSMAN. BIRR? FIG. 2i. MR. F. MCKRILL'S FAWN MASTIFF STAFFORD BELLE. THE MASTIFF 25 during the whole period of their growth, care being taken that they are not allowed to get too fat, but that they are kept in what is termed good growing condition. Some breeders are too apt to force their puppies when young, and are then able to boast of their weight; but it will frequently be found that puppies of abnormal weight do not develop into Mastiffs of corresponding size when full grown, they having made their growth within the first ten or twelve months of their life. A Mastiff should continue to grow in height until he is fifteen months old or more, and to increase in size and develop for a further eighteen months or so. Many large dogs do not reach their prime until a later period. About six weeks is the best age at which to select those puppies that are to be kept, for experience shows that, however much they may change during growth, the good points that they possess at this early age are likely to be found when full growth has been attained. In selecting a puppy, one naturally seeks for those qualities which are looked for in the adult animal. These are principally width of skull, width between the eyes, breadth and depth of muzzle, and plenty of bone. Size, of course, is a considera- tion, but this in young puppies is frequently misleading and too much stress must not be laid on it, as it sometimes happens that the smallest puppy, although reared under similar conditions to the rest of the litter, develops into the largest. That the Mastiff is not so popular at the present time as it was some years ago is a fact that cannot be denied. The introduction of so many foreign breeds into this country within the last few years could hardly fail to affect some of our native breeds, but this does not altogether account for the loss of public favour from which the Mastiff is suffering. Possibly this lack of interest in the breed is to some extent attributable to these dogs having of late years been bred with abnormally short muzzles, the result being that many of the characteristics of the breed have been changed. Faults, such as short bodies, short legs, straight hocks, and bad hindquarters have been far too common, whilst the benign expression of the Mastiff has to a great extent been lost. Altogether the Mastiff of recent years has approached far too near the Bulldog to please the general public, upon whose favour every breed is, after all, more or less dependent. That the Mastiff is a short- muzzled dog every one will admit, but there is a medium in everything ; breadth and depth of muzzle are, in the writer's opinion, of far more consequence than extreme shortness and, at the same time, more difficult to obtain. Although the Mastiff is not so active as some other breeds of large dogs, being much heavier built, yet he should be sufficiently so to be able to accompany his owner on a walk without showing fatigue ; it is doubtful whether many of the Mastiffs exhibited of late years would be able to do this. 26 BRITISH DOGS These are a few points to which Mastiff breeders of the future should give their attention, and we would commend to their favourable notice the following extract from an interesting letter of Mr. Sidney Turner on Mastiffs and their points: "The short square head, which most of our .present judges admire, is not likely to be found associated with great length of body and well let down hocks, because the head is a sort of fifth limb, and if the shafts of the long bones are of unusual length, the bones of the cranium naturally follow the same law, and vice versa. ... As in most things, the happy medium seems to promise the best success. This should be the keynote of our theme, and the harmonies should be sought to correspond, and no discordances permitted in the ideal Mastiff of the future." The following is the Old English Mastiff Club's description of the Mastiff. It is a description of what a perfect Mastiff should be, although no Mastiff that is perfect in all points has yet been seen, and in all probability never will be; but the breeder's aim should be to produce one as nearly corresponding to this de- scription as possible. The numerical value of the points is not intended to be used in judging, but was added in 1890, as it was suggested that it would be a help to the novice, who, without some such guide, had no means of knowing whether any particular points were of more importance than others. Figs. 20 and 21 show a brindle and a fawn respectively. General Character and Symmetry (VALUE 10). Large, massive, powerful, symmetrical, and well-knit frame. A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage and docility. General Description of Head. In general outline, giving a square appearance when viewed from any point. Breadth greatly to be desired, and should be in ratio to length of the whole head and face as 2 to 3. General Description of Body {Height and Siibstance.} (VALUE 10). Massive, broad, deep, long, powerfully built, on legs wide apart and squarely set. Muscles sharply defined. Size a great desideratum, if combined with quality. Height and substance important, if both points are proportionately combined. Skull ( VALUE 12). Broad between the ears, forehead flat, but wrinkled when attention is excited. Brows (superciliary ridges) slightly raised. Muscles of the temples and cheeks (temporal and masseter) well developed. Arch across the skull of a rounded, flattened curve, with a depression up the centre of the fore- head from the medium line between the eyes to half-way up the sagittal suture. Face or Muzzle (VALUE 18). Short, broad under the eyes, and keeping nearly parallel in width to the end of the nose ; truncated, i.e. blunt and cut off square, thus forming a right angle with the upper line of the face, of great depth from the point of the nose to under jaw. Under jaw broad to the end ; canine teeth healthy, powerful, and wide apart ; incisors level, or the lower projecting beyond the upper, but never sufficiently so as to become visible when the mouth is closed. Nose broad, with widely spreading nostrils when viewed from the front ; flat (not pointed or turned up) in profile Lips diverging at obtuse angles with the septum, and slightly pendulous, so as to show a square profile. Length of muzzle to whole head and face as I to 3. Circumference of muzzle (measured midway between the eyes and nose) to that of the head (measured before the ears) as 3 to 5- THE MASTIFF 27 Ears (VALUE 4). Small, thin to the touch, wide apart, set on at the highest points of the sides of the skull, so as to continue the outline across the summit, and lying flat and close to the cheeks when in repose. Eyes (VALUE 6). Small, wide apart, divided by at least the space of two eyes. The stop between the eyes well marked, but not too abrupt. Colour hazel-brown, the darker the better, showing no haw. Chest and Ribs (VALUE 8). Neck slightly arched, moderately long, very muscular, and measuring in circumference about I or 2 inches less than the skull before the ears. Chest wide, deep, and well let down between the fore legs. Ribs arched and well rounded. False ribs deep and well set back to the hips. Girth should be one- third more than the height at the shoulder. Shoulder and arm slightly sloping, heavy, and muscular. Fore Legs and Feet (VALUE 6). Legs straight, strong, and set wide apart ; bones very large. Elbows square. Pasterns upright. Feet large and round. Toes well arched up. Nails black. Back, Loins, and Flanks (VALUE 8). Back and loins wide and muscular; flat and very wide in a bitch, slightly arched in a dog. Great depth of flanks. Hind Legs and Feet (VALUE 10). Hind-quarters broad, wide, and muscular, with well-developed second thighs. Hocks bent, wide apart, and quite squarely set when standing or walking. Feet round. 7"ail (VALUE 3). Put on high up, and reaching to the hocks, or a little below them, wide at its root and tapering to the end, hanging straight in repose, but forming a curve, with the end pointing upwards, but not over the back, when the dog is excited. Coat Colour (VALUE 5). Coat short and close lying, but not loo fine over the shoulders, neck, and back. Colour, apricot or silver fawn, or dark fawn- brindle. In any case, muzzle, ears, and nose should be black, with black round the orbits, and extending upwards between them. One often hears sung the praises of the cross-bred dog known as the Bull-mastiff a dog that is frequently employed for service with night-watchmen and gamekeepers. Some are wont to assert that the animal is a more formidable foe than the Mastiff proper, but they have never been able, so far as we can remember, to show why. Our own contention is that, generally speaking, it is far better to keep a variety that breeds true to type than a mongrel, especially when the former, alike as regards size and general fitness, has superior claims to the latter. Many are under the impression that what is required in a night-dog is ferocity. No greater mistake could be made, as those who have witnessed the work of night-dogs, alike in this country and abroad, can testify. Strength, a good dark colour, and the knowledge of how to floor an " undesirable " are essentials in any night-dog. The first two are to be found naturally in the Mastiff; while the last may be readily imparted, and is, in fact, the product of skilful training. In the old days it was popularly supposed that wherever a Bulldog cross was used, gameness was the invariable result. Whatever may have been true in respect of the Bulldog of old does not necessarily hold good of its twentieth-century representative, and, therefore, until we find some material advantage in possessing a much smaller cross-bred dog, we shall continue to stand by the pure-bred animal. CHAPTER III THE THIBET MASTIFF THESE dogs are comparatively rare in England, and only occasionally met with at our shows ; but they are such magnificent animals that it is to be regretted that they are not bred here, as they are really well worth cultivating for their noble appearance, and under the skill and care of English breeders their natural good qualities, grand proportions, and noble bearing would be developed to the utmost. In their native country they are used as guardians of the flock and the family ; and half a dozen of them, with " their bristles up," would certainly present a formidable front to marauders, human or lupine. In general contour they bear a resemblance to our English Mastiff, although the rough, dense coat and black colour form a strong contrast to the rich fawns and fallows of our home breed, with their close-lying, short, and shining jackets. The subject of our illustration (Fig. 22) Siring was a remarkably fine specimen, one of two exhibited by the King, at that time the Prince of Wales, at the Alexandra Palace Show, December, 1875. The pair were exceedingly well matched, and were much admired, Siring being, perhaps, a shade the better. Both the specimens were well formed, strong in the back and loins, deep ribbed, with well-developed quarters, and standing on stout, straight legs. In size they are not quite equal to our native Mastiffs, although the long coat gives them an advantage in appearance. The coat is about as long as a Newfoundland's, and very dense; not sleek and glossy, but rough, without being harsh. The colour is black, inclining to brownish-black on some parts of the body, and the soft undercoat is of a fulvous colour. The tail is large, well furnished with hair, and carried pretty high, and with a good swirl in fact, the term "gawcie," which Burns uses to describe the Scotch Collie's tail, pretty accurately applies; but unfortu- nately there is no exact equivalent in English bushy, yet showy, comes near it. The Thibet Mastiff carries his stern much higher than the Collie in fact, well over the hips. The head, wherein the character of the animal is stamped, and where we always look first in considering the type of dog, differs