The second objection I have to it, and which I hope readers will not consider an irrational one, is that to my mind it is an anachronism to introduce a monkish superstition as a factor in the practical work of dog judging in the present day. I remember seeing Mr. Samuel Lang and Mr. William Lort engaged for about two hours in judging a large class of costermongers' donkeys, but I have no recollection that they were influenced by or even looked for that cross on the back which surely as "peculiarly consecrates" an ass as the fancied resemblance of a mark of white to the badge of a Benedictine monk does a St. Bernard dog.

I also wish to record my strong objection to dew claws being considered a necessary or advantageous adjunct; they are just the opposite, and, in addition, are as ugly as a wart or any other "accidental monstrosity," as Darwin designates dew claws. Those who contend that dew claws prevent the dog sinking in the snow must be profoundly ignorant on the matter; they can never have travelled through a heavy snowfall, for they might as well expect the point of a walking stick to prevent them sinking in a snow wreath as a dew claw, double or treble, to support a St. Bernard under like circumstances. All dew claws should be cut off; they give a clumsy appearance, and the leg would look cleaner and better shaped without them. That the large foot fits the animal for snow travelling is clear enough, but the dew claw, which is loose, and easily doubles up, is useless as a support.

"The head is large and massive, but is without the width of the mastiff. The dimensions are extended chiefly in height and length, the occipital protuberance being specially marked, and, coupled with the height of brow, serving also to distinguish it from the Newfoundland. The face is long, and cut off square at the nose, which is intermediate in width between those of the Newfoundland and mastiff. Lips pendulous, approaching in character to the bloodhound type, but much smaller. Ears of medium size, carried close to the cheeks, and covered with silky hair. Eyes full in size, but deeply sunk, and showing the haw, which is often as red as that of the bloodhound.

"Line of poll. As remarked above, great stress is laid by the monks on this marking, which is supposed to resemble the white lace bands round the neck and waist of the gown worn by the Benedictine monks, the two being connected by a strip carried up the back. A dog marked with white in the same manner is supposed to be peculiarly consecrated to his work, and is kept most carefully to it. Hence it is in this country also regarded as a characteristic of the breed, but it is seldom met with in anything like a perfect state of development; Monarque being more perfect in this respect than any dog ever exhibited.

"Shape of body and neck. There is nothing remarkable about the neck, except that there is generally a certain amount of throatiness, to which there is no objection. The body ought to be well proportioned, with a full chest, the girth of which should be double that of the head, and half the length of the body from nose to tip of tail; the loin should be full and the hips wide.

"In size and symmetry this breed should be up to a full standard, that is to say, equal to the English mastiff. Indeed, excepting in colour, in the dewclaws, and in the shape of head, the smooth St. Bernard very closely resembles that dog. He is generally more active in his movements, from having been more worked than his English compeer, who for generations has been kept on the chain.

"Legs and feet. Of course, in so large a dog the legs must be straight and strong, while the feet also must be large, in order to avoid sinking through the snow. The last point is greatly insisted on by the monks, who prefer even what would be considered here a splay foot to a small and compact one.

"Dewclaws. There is no doubt that the double dewclaw on the hind legs has in some way been introduced into the strain of dogs used at the two Alpine monasteries, but how it is now impossible to say. Both Tell and Monarque exhibited this peculiarity, as well as most of the dogs admitted to be imported from the Hospice. Gessler, however, who showed every other point of the breed in a very marked degree, had no dewclaw at all on his hind legs, and his son Alp, though out of Hedwig, sister to Tell, was equally deficient. It is very doubtful whether this peculiarity is sufficiently permanent in any strain to be an evidence of purity or impurity, and consequently its value is only placed at 5, making the negative deduction 10 when wholly absent.

"The temperament of the St. Bernard is very similar to that of the mastiff - that is to say, if suitably managed, the dog is capable of great control over his actions, whether in the absence or presence of his owner. When kept on the chain he is, like other dogs, apt to become savage, and there is almost always an instinctive dislike to tramps and vagabonds. He is a capital watch and guard, and attaches himself strongly to his master or mistress.

"The colour of this dog varies greatly. The most common is red and white, the white being preferred when distributed after the pattern described above. Fawn and white and brindle and white come next, marked in the same way, the brindle being a very rich one, with an orange-tawny shade in it, as shown in Tell, and in a lesser degree by his nephew, Alp. Sometimes the dog is wholly white, or very nearly so, as in the case of Hospice and Sir C. H. Isham's Leo.

"The coat in the rough variety is wavy over the body, bushy in the tail, and feathering the legs, being generally silky, but sparsely so, on the ears. In the smooth variety the depth and thickness of the coat are the points to be regarded."

Believing the weights, measurements, and other particulars of well-known dogs would interest readers, I give the following of a few of those whose owners have kindly obliged me.