AS is the case with most, if not all, of our existing breeds of the dog, the origin of the pug is lost in obscurity. The prevailing opinion is that he is a bulldog modified by a hot climate; but this theory is only founded upon a statement to that effect made by Buffon, " whose word no man relies on," any more than that of the second Charles. According to this story, however, the pug so modified from the bulldog at the Cape of Good Hope was imported into Holland at the time when the Cape was a Dutch settlement, and became the favourite ladies' pet of that country for many years, a few specimens of the breed being scattered throughout Europe, and in this way reaching England, where it became very fashionable in the reign of William 111. ("Dutch William "), but did not long remain so, and was exceedingly rare in the middle of the present century, even a moderately good one not being procurable for less than 302., and that at a time when Bl, was the average price of a lady's pet, even of the fashionable kinds. During the decade 1840-50, however, several admirers of pugs attempted to breed them from good foreign strains.

Foremost among these was the then Lady Willoughby de Eresby, who after a great deal of trouble obtained a dog from Vienna which had belonged to a Hungarian countess, but was of a bad colour, being a mixture of the stone fawn now peculiar to the "Willoughby strain," and black; but the combination of these colours was to a certain extent in the brindled form. From accounts which are to be relied on, this dog was about twelve inches high, and of good shape, both in body and head, but with a face much longer than would now be approved of by pug fanciers. In 1846 he was mated with a fawn bitch imported from Holland, of the desired colour, viz., stone fawn in body, with black mask and trace, but with no indication of brindle. She had a shorter face and heavier jowl than the dog, and was altogether in accordance with the type now recognised as the correct "Willoughby pug." From this pair are descended all the strain named after Lady Willoughby de Eresby, which are marked in colour by their peculiar cold stone fawn, and the excess of black often showing itself, not in brindled stripes, but in entirely or nearly entirely black heads, and large "saddle marks " or wide "traces".

But coincidently with this formation of a new strain was the existence of another, showing a richer and more yellow fawn, and no tendency to excess of black. This strain was possessed by the late Mr. Morrison, of Walham Green; the late Mr. H. Gilbert, of Kensington; Mr. W. Macdonald, now of Winchmore Hill, but at that time residing in London; and some other fanciers of less note. According to Mr. Morrison's statement to me (which, however, he did not wish made public during his life), this strain was lineally descended from a stock possessed by Queen Charlotte, one of which is painted with great care in the well-known portrait of George HE. at Hampton Court; but I could never get him to reveal the exact source from which it was obtained. That he himself fully believed in the truth of this story I am quite confident; and I am also of opinion that he never hazarded a statement of which he had the slightest doubt - being in this respect far above the average of "doggy" men. Although he never broadly stated as much, I always inferred that the breed was obtained by "back-stair influence," and on that account a certain amount of reticence was necessary; but, whatever may be the cause of the secrecy maintained, I fully believe the explanation given by Mr. Morrison of the origin of this breed of pugs, which is as commonly known by his name as that of Lady Willoughby de Eresby by hers.

His appeal to the Hampton Court portrait, in proof of the purity of his breed from its general resemblance to the dog in that painting, goes for nothing in my mind, because you may breed up to any type by careful selection; but I do not hesitate to indorse his statement as to the Guelph origin of his strain, because I have full confidence in his truthfulness, from having tested it in various other ways. I need scarcely remark that both strains are derived from the Dutch - "the Morrison" coming down to us through the three Georges from William HI., and "the Willoughly "being, as above described, a more recent importation direct from Holland and Vienna. Both strains are equally lively in temperament, moderately tricky and companionable, but their chief advantage as pets is that they are unusually free from smell, both in breath and coat.