The last of the Toy Spaniel family to be noticed is the Japanese Spaniel, and, at the present time, I think, it enjoys the most popularity, and is kept by ladies of high rank, as well as by their humbler fellow-creatures. In point of colour, they most resemble the Prince Charlies, and they are sometimes, but not often, seen almost the colours of a Blenheim. They are not so high, or domed in skull, but much wider, both in head and face, with very short nose, fairly large, pendulous ears, large, dark, full eyes, rather short on legs, cobby in body, and with tail curled over back, something in the way of the Maltese Terrier. They have a very quaint, old-fashioned look about them, even when puppies, and, unless they have been bred in this country, or, until they get acclimatized, are certainly delicate, and the mortality amongst the imported specimens has been very great. It is now sometime since I had any of the breed, and, at that time, larger specimens were in vogue than now appear at our shows; but no doubt, as ladies' pets, they are better, not exceeding eight or nine pounds.

I may mention, to prove how these pretty little creatures have come forward of late years, I was present at a large London show, where a Japanese Spaniel, belonging to a friend of mine, a well-known lady-exhibitor, was awarded the first prize (a seventy-guinea silver cup in which the winner might have been hidden!) as the "Champion of champions," in a class composed of all the specimens of all kinds of dogs, that had been awarded a championship at that show, and the gratified owner had the honour of receiving the splendid prize from H. R. H. the Princess of

Wales, who was also an exhibitor at the show, and is, we all know, a keen admirer of dogs in general.

The portrait of this beautiful specimen illustrates this variety.

JAPANESE SPANIEL CH."DAI BUTZU" Mrs ADDIS OWNER.