Dalmatians are unusually plentiful in the charming districts surrounding the Crystal Palace, and fair puppies may often be bought very cheaply from some of the owners of public carriages, as they are pretty generally kept about these stables; good specimens are also often seen accompanying private carriages in the neighbourhood. I do not know whether Dalmatians show the same pleasure in accompanying a bicycle as a carriage, but I have no doubt that if they did not at once take to the iron steed they could very soon be brought to do so, and the bicycling tourist would in this dog have a highly ornamental adjunct to his travelling equipage, a pleasant companion, and a good guard of his property.

The Dalmatian has been accused of an apathetic temper, of concentrating all his affection on the horse and showing none to his master. This, is, however, an unjust charge. Dalmatians, like all other dogs, are very much what they are made, and if the owner forgets that the Dalmatian is an animal appreciative of caressses and kindness, and treats him merely as an ornament to his establishment, he cannot reasonably complain if the dog bestows his affections on his fellow-occupant of the stable, and strong are the friendships sometimes seen to exist between the dog and the horse. But the carriage dog, when made a companion, is faithful and affectionate if less demonstrative than some breeds, and therefore I strongly recommend him to the bicyclist, whilst I should like to see him regain his popularity as a carriage dog. It is said he is used in some continental countries as a pointer, and I do not doubt his innate capacity to fill that position if his powers were developed by training, but as he is never so used here I treat him merely as an ornamental and companion dog.

I shall now take the points of the Dalmatian seriatim, and, first of all, I think, should be considered his fitness for travelling, which so much depends on his strength and symmetry: a heavy, lumbering, unshapely dog, lumpy in shoulders, bulging at the elbows, and stilty behind, would be incapable of travelling at horse pace for the time a well-made Dalmatian can do so with apparent ease and pleasure, and, therefore, capability to travel with the carriage being a necessity, no cripple, however beautifully spotted, should gain a prize, and for strength, build, and symmetry I should give twenty points in judging.

The head very much resembles that of the pointer, but is neither quite so deep nor so broad in muzzle; the skull tight-skinned, no flews - indeed, no loose skin about either head or throat; the eyes medium size, dark in colour, and bright and sparkling; the ears broad at base, narrowing to a rounded point, thin in texture, and spotted.

The neck should be of fair length, nicely arched, airy - that is, free from coarseness - and clean cut, there being little or no wrinkling or dewlap.

The shoulders must be well sloped and free, and well covered with muscle, but not thick or loaded.

The body must be elegant, not heavy; the ribs fairly sprung, but not rounded like barrel hoops, which would indicate slowness, and destroy the symmetry; the loin strong and muscular; the quarters strong, nicely sloping from the huckle bone to set on of tail.

The legs and feet are most important. In the hind legs the second thigh should be seen and the hock well let down; the fore legs should be straight and clean made, lined with strong muscles. The feet are of good size, of compact shape, rather round than long, knuckles well up, and the sole thick, hard, and tough. A spreading foot is very objectionable, rendering the dog unfit for travel.

The tail should be strong at the insertion, and rush grown - that is, tapering to a point, and carried with a slight curve upwards, but neither crooked nor curled. If distinctly spotted, it is considered a great advantage, as adding much to the beauty of the dog.

The coat should be clean and sleek, but firm, close, and wet resisting, neither woolly nor silky.

The colour and markings give the dog his very distinctive character, and, therefore, are properly very highly valued. The body must be a pure white; single black hairs running through the ground colour, giving a greyish hue, are a very great fault; the purer and brighter the white the better the black and liver spots look by contrast; the colour of the spots should be a pure black, blue black, or rich reddish liver; the handsomest are the tricolours, with black spots on the body and bright well-defined liver spots on the back of the forelegs, inside and front of the thighs, and sometimes under and on the sides of the jaw. Some of the earlier winners had distinctly tanned faces, but these and black patches are objectionable, although less so than the dark ridge of conglomerated spots that often runs down the back. The more distinct from each other and the more clearly defined against the white the spots are the better. In size they should be from that of a sixpence to a florin, and the rounder the better.

Large ones generally run into each other, and when too small they want boldness, and give a shotted or freckled appearance.

The subject of our engraving, Spotted Dick, is the best built dog of his breed I have ever seen; he is beaten by Captain in spots and colour by a few points, but in other respects is, I think, the best dog of the day. He has well spotted ears, which are rarely met with, and the beautiful bright tan spots on back of legs, etc, which are a great addition to a Dalmatian's beauty. Spotted Dick, formerly owned by Mr. A. W. Dalziel, and now the property of Mr. A. G. James, Kirkby Lonsdale, was bred by Mr. A. B. Jayne, of Upper Norwood.

Measurements of Dr. James's Spotted Dick: Age, 2½ years; weight, 431b.; height at shoulder, 21in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 34in.; length of tail, 13in.; girth of chest, 25in.; girth of loin, 19½in.; girth of head, 15½in.; girth of forearm, 6in.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 8¾in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 8½in.