The bitches, strangely enough, seem to be considerably in advance of the dogs in show properties; and probably no one has brought out so many good ones as Mr. G. F. Richardson, who carried all before him with Bramble, Birch, and Bristles - the last two being now the property of Mr. Shirley, who should be able to breed something good from them with his well-known dog Spike.

Mr. A. Fitz Roy may be mentioned as one who has exhibited Terriers of this breed with success, his Madge and Minx being very good samples. Then, of course, there has always been something out of the common hailing from Nottingham, either from Mr. Wootton's, Mr. Terry's, or Mr. Hulse's kennels. The Rev. J. Russell, who is certainly the father of Fox-terrier breeders, tells us that he has bred his dogs since 1815, and their pedigree has been kept quite pure, except that he once admitted an admixture of Old Jock - a high compliment to the old dog.

The points of the Wire-haired Fox-terrier are precisely the same as those of the Smooth one, with the exception of the coat, which should be broken. The harder and more wiry the texture of the coat is, the better. On no account should the dog look or feel woolly, and there should be no silky hair about the poll or elsewhere. The coat should not be too long, so as not to give the dog a shaggy appearance, but, at the same time, it should show a marked and distinct difference all over from the Smooth variety. This is the Fox-terrier Club's description of the coat, and I have nothing to add to it, except perhaps 'Stonehenge's' remark about the necessity for plenty of undercoat. The great thing is to get Wire-haired Terriers small enough, for they offend more in this respect at present than do the Smooth ones. We must remember, however, that mere weight does not constitute size, and that show condition means at least 1½ lb. more than working condition. It must also be remembered that a somewhat oversized Terrier can oftentimes be of service, while he is able to get along when the small one must be led or carried. I have seen a dog running with the Cleveland hounds that would certainly weigh close on 391b., and he was generally able to do all that was required, while he could really make his way unaided either with or on the line of the hounds."

Since the above was written the Wire-haired Terrier has taken his proper place at our exhibitions alongside his Smooth-haired brother, and in stud books and elsewhere is treated as a legitimate member of the family to which by all natural rights he belongs. The variety has grown greatly in number, and there is also a uniformity in size and character which distinguishes the classes now exhibited from those of a decade or so ago.

The pedigree of Jack's Veto, given below, contains much of the acknowledged best blood authenticated by published record. Mr. Corner was for many years a successful breeder of Wire-haired Terriers, and, as is seen in this pedigree, he has introduced blood from the noted kennels of Mr. Carrick, of Carlisle, into his own.

The following is the scale of points adopted for the Wire-haired section as drawn up by the Fox-terrier Club: -

Disqualifying Points

In either the Smooth or the Wire-haired variety the following defects should disqualify :

Nose, white, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colours.

Ears, prick, tulip or rose.

Mouth much undershot or much overshot.

Besides the breeders already named, there are numbers of others who have identified themselves with the Wire-haired Fox-terrier, and have helped to place it in the prominent position among our domestic dogs that it now occupies. Foremost amongst the earlier ones are Mr. A. Maxwell, Mr. Carrick, and Mr. T. Wootton. Later came Mr. F. Hayward Field, Mr. Harding Cox, Mr. Rawdon Lee, Mr. C. McNeil, Mr. C. W. Wharton, Mr. F. Baguley, Mr. P. Reid, Mr. E. Welburn, Mr. C. Bartle, Mr. R. Philipson, Mr. D. Graham, Mr. Thurnall, Mr. A. Mutter, Mr. L. Hogg, Mr. A. E. Clear, Sir Humphry de Trafford, Mr. S. Hill, and Mr. G. Raper. The last two will be remembered particularly for the two famous dogs Meersbrook Bristles and Go Bang, both of which went to America for the large sums already referred to. His Majesty the King has bred a very good Fox-terrier bitch that has been exhibited with success. Lord Lonsdale spent a big sum in forming a strong kennel, but he was far from successful. Nor must the ladies be forgotten. The most successful breeder and exhibitor so far has been Her Grace the Duchess of Newcastle.

Although it is not as a general rule advisable for an absolute novice to purchase puppies when very young, yet there may come a time when it may be necessary for him to make a selection from a litter. Some hints, therefore, on the points to look for in an undeveloped animal may be helpful. At one time all sorts of notions were prevalent as to what were desirable characteristics in a pure-bred puppy. Even at the present day one of the commonest survives in the black roof to the mouth test.

A very usual time for a selection to be called for, in the case of novices, is when the puppies are fit to be taken away from the mother, though it must be stated that breeders of really good stock wait until some months have elapsed before hastily discarding any puppy. By the age of six months, however, the owner should be able with a fair amount of accuracy to judge as to the individual merits of his young stock. Those who breed large numbers of Fox-terriers generally put out the puppies to walk with some responsible person, paying them a small fee for the trouble, and encouragement-money should an individual develop into a really first-class specimen. First as to the head : this should give promise of being of a good length, the eyes should be dark, and the ears of medium length. Later it must be remembered that the ears may look out of proportion to the head, yet ultimately the dog may "finish" properly. The reason of this is that the ears may be more developed than the head; in fact, they may cease to grow while the head continues to lengthen. This is not at all an uncommon experience. From the outset the fore legs should be straight and the feet compact; there should also be indications of plenty of bone. Shortness of body is another point that must be taken into consideration. Coat, too, is important: this must not be heavy on very young puppies, but it must be of good texture. It becomes harder after the puppy-moult, which takes place at various ages, but usually between ten and twelve months. From the first, however, there must be the promise of a hard jacket. Too much notice must not be taken of the ear-carriage of very young puppies, as they frequently carry their ears indifferently while teething.