In all points, except coat, this variety is a facsimile of the more fashionable rough-coated ones, indeed, rough-coated and smooth-coated are often found in the same litter, a good instance of which is Mr. W. W. Thomson's Guelt, who is of the most noted strain in the West of Scotland, being a lineal descendant of the dog of a noted sheep stealer, who, as he drove his flock to the southern markets along the old Roman road that runs along the crest of the hills on the north bank of the river Nith, used to send his dog along the hill sides or the south side of the river to select a few sheep from several flocks, and, fording the river add them to his master's drove.

MR. W. W. THOMSON'S SMOOTH-COATED COLLEY BITCH "YARROW" (K.C.S.B. 5449).

Pedigree unknown.

Mr. Thomson had his dog Guelt and another from the same litter direct from their breeder, Mr. Craig, of Glen, and one of them was a very rough-coated one.

Some shepherds prefer these to the long-coated, as they do not get matted with snow, and their coat is so dense as to prove a sufficient protection against the weather.

The mottled, marbled, mirled, or Harlequin variety are nearly always smooth-coated and also "china-eyed;" Mr. Howard Mapplebeck's well-known bitch Fan is an exception in the last particular, but I look upon it as a defect in her, so characteristic of the breed is the china eye - indeed, in many specimens both eyes are of this kind.

Of late we have had very good classes of smooth-coated colleys shown, they being especially numerous in the north of England. The best before the public is, I consider, Mr. W. W. Thomson's Yarrow (facile princeps). She is small, but judged by points can give all her opponents ten points and beat them easily. As I bought the bitch in Scotland, and after winning with her sold her to Mr. Thomson, it may be thought I am slightly prejudiced in her favour; but it is not so; on deliberate judgment and careful comparison, I think her the best ever shown. Next to her I would place Mr. Swinburne's Lassie. Both of these bitches are black, white, and tan.

Mr. Thomson has also excellent dogs in Guelt and Hawk, and a mirled dog with two china eyes, bred on Salisbury Plain. Mr. Wilson's Meg, Mr. W. H. Charles's Scott, and Mr. M. C. Ashwin's Nellie are also in the front rank. There is a scarcity of good smooth-coated sires.

I have omitted to notice that the Harlequin or mottled dog is often termed the Welch "heeler." The variety is, I believe, rather popular in Wales, but it is by no means confined to the Principality, but found scattered all over the United Kingdom.

In judging smooth colleys ten points only need be allowed for coat, the ten points deducted being given for symmetry and general appearance.