"The South Durham and North Yorkshire," since so well known as "The Darlington Dog Show," was held at Darlington on July 30th and 31st, 1874, with Mr. W. Sewell as secretary (in which capacity, I think, he must since have served close on a quarter of a century!), and an entry of 689.

The judges appointed were mostly well-known men, comprising Messrs. W. Lort, John Hutchinson, John Walker (Wrexham), Rev.

Jack Russell, Messrs. M. B. Wynn, John Douglas, John Fisher, and James Nisbet.

Sporting Classes were rather short in Blood-hounds, Deer-hounds, Otter-hounds, Beagles, and Spaniels, fair in Setters (supported by Major Cowen and Mr. J. Shorthose), good in Greyhounds and Pointers (with many prizes in latter falling to Mr. J. H. Whitehouse), and very strong in Retrievers (with substantial help from Mr. J. W. Morris). Fox-terriers had a good entry, Messrs. Astbury, G. H. Proctor, W. Allison, Thackray, and Denham being amongst the most successful.

Non-Sporting Classes found Mr. F. Gresham taking all the cream in St. Bernards with his Monk, Hector, and Reenie. Mastiffs were a good lot, also Sheep-dogs (Rough and Smooth). Black-and-tans and Bull-terriers (Mr. Godfree taking nearly all the prizes in latter, and Mr. H, Lacy in former), Bedlingtons and Dandies, were the best amongst the others, the Toy and fancy varieties not coming up well, and no entries of Toy Spaniels.

In the Market Place, Nottingham, was held on October 2nd, 3rd, 5th, and 6th, 1874, an exhibition of dogs, when Mr. Wakerley acted as secretary, and a good entry was obtained.

The following were the judges appointed: Blood-hounds, St. Bernards, and Mastiffs, Messrs. T. L. Becker, H. D. Kingdon, and W. Harrison; Fox-hounds, Harriers, Beagles, and Wire-haired Fox-terriers, Rev. Jack Russell, Captain Skipwith, Messrs. Peter Pilgrim and Frank Gillard; Deer-hounds, Greyhounds, Pointers, and Setters, Mons. le Prince de Vismes et de Ponthieu, Colonel Welfitt, and Mr. J. Brown; Retrievers and Spaniels, Mons. le Prince de Vismes et de Ponthieu; Sheep-dogs, Dandies, and Newfoundlands, Messrs. H. Dalziel and Gordon Murray; other Non-Sporting and Sporting Dogs not mentioned above, Messrs. John Fisher, Digby Collins, and H. Dalziel.

Amongst Sporting Dogs, Blood-hounds, Fox-hounds, Harriers, and Otter-hounds were poorly supported. Fox-terriers were large and good classes, with many well-known names as winners. Pointers, Setters, and Spaniels filled well, also Retrievers.

In Non-Sporting, Mastiffs came up well. St. Bernards found Mr. F. Gresham in the front. Sheep-dogs were fairly good, with Messrs. W. W. Thomson and W. H. Charles amongst the winners. Bull-dogs, Bull-terriers, Black-and-tan and other Smooth Terriers were all representative classes; but small entries were the rule amongst the rest, some varieties having no entries at all.

On October 13th, 14th, and 15th, 1874, was held in the Artillery Barracks, Hull, a dog show, of which Mr. John Douglas acted as manager, with Mr. W. Gillet as secretary.

An entry of 459 was secured, and the whole of the classes were taken by Messrs. S. E. Shirley, M.P., and W. Lort, the judges appointed on the occasion.

In Sporting Dogs, Blood-hounds and Deer-hounds were small classes. The former had all the prizes go to Major Cowen's and Mr. E. Brough's entries. Greyhounds, Pointers, Retrievers, and Fox-terriers were the strongest classes, Messrs. Whitehouse, Brierley, and W. H. Walker clearing the decks in Pointers, Mr. J. W. Morris doing much the same in Retrievers, and Messrs. J. Fletcher, Shepherd, J. Terry, and S. W. Smith being names in the front in Fox-terriers. Setters, Spaniels, etc., were small entries, but contained the names of some well-known exhibitors.

In Non-Sporting, Mastiffs were well supported. I do not remember before seeing the name of my late respected friend Rev. W. J. Mellor in connection with this breed, but here he was very successful; and Mr. Gresham was equally so with Rough and Smooth St. Bernards. Sheep-dogs (Rough and Smooth) did well. The best of the remainder were Black-and-tan and Toy Terriers; in the former the name of Lacy was a prominent feature, and the name of Foster not absent from the latter. Mr. A. Boulton was first and second in Skyes, as he has often been since; and Yorkshire Terriers had amongst the prize-winners Mr. Alderson's Mozart, Mrs. Foster's Bruce, and Mr. Lumley's Young Bright. Messrs. Godfree and J. Terry had the best of the Bull-terriers. Bedlingtons, Dandies, Toy Spaniels, etc., had a few typical specimens in each.

A dog show was held in the Exhibition Palace, Dublin, on October 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th, 1874, with Mr. P. W. Corrigan as secretary, and an entry of 335.

The judges who officiated were: Messrs. J. S. Skidmore, P. Watson, D. Bellamy, and C. F. Staunton.

In Pointers, Setters (especially the Irish variety), and Spaniels (in which Irish figured well) most of the prizes went to Messrs. Morton and D. Sullivan, and Mr. P. Bullock was well in the front in the others. Fox-terriers found Messrs. S. W. Smith and Luke Turner amongst them; and at this show I first notice Mr. J. J. Pirn as an exhibitor. I do not remember before seeing classes provided for Irish Terriers, all the prizes in which, both over and under 9 lb., were taken by Mr. J. Frame. Other kinds of dogs had small entries, shown for the most part by persons not then known in this country.

On November 30th and December 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, 1874, the Fifteenth Dog Show was held in Curzon Hall, Birmingham, with a large entry and the following judges: Pointers, Viscount Comber-mere and Mr. C. E. Lewis; Blood-hounds, Major Cowen; Mastiffs, Mr. M. B. Wynn; Sheep-dogs, Messrs. Matthias Smith and J. Percival; St. Bernards and Newfoundlands, Rev. J. C. Macdona; Deer-hounds and Greyhounds, Mr. S. Mallaby; Setters and Foreign Sporting Dogs, the Hon. R. C. Hill and Mr. W. Lort; Spaniels, Rev. A. L. Willett and Captain Willett; Retrievers, Messrs. S. E. Shirley, M.P., and R. B. Moore; Dachshunds and Foreign Non-Sporting Dogs, Mr. J. Fisher; Otter-hounds, Harriers, and Beagles, Mr. J. Walker (Wrexham); Fox-terriers, Messrs. J. Walker and P. Eden; Bull-dogs, Bull-terriers, Black-and-tan and Smooth-haired Terriers, Messrs. C. Collins and J. Percival; Skyes, Dandies, Broken-haired, Bedlington, and Wire-haired Terriers, Messrs. J. Nisbet and J. Fisher; Pomeranians, Pugs, and all Toys, Messrs. Matthias Smith and Matthew Hedley.

In Blood-hounds Messrs. Brough, Ray, and Pott took all the prizes in a good entry. In Deer-hounds Messrs. Hickman, Chaworth-Musters, and Parker were chief winners. In Greyhounds Messrs. Hemming and Sharpies were most successful. In Otter-hounds Mr. J. C. Carrick cleared the board; Mr. C. D. Everett did the like in the Harrier classes. In a large entry of Pointers many well-known kennels, besides those of Messrs. Whitehouse and Arkwright, were represented. Setters filled well, the least in number being the Irish, with Messrs. Purcell-Llewellin, Neville, C. B. Hodgson, and Major Cooper amongst them. There was a large lot of Retrievers, well supported by Messrs. J. W. Morris, How, J. Bishop, J. D. Gorse, Hemming, and J. Andrews. Spaniels were numerous and representative, chief winners owned by Messrs. J. Fletcher, Skidmore, W. S. Holmes, P. Bullock, H. B. Spurgin, and W. W. Boulton. Dachshunds contained the name of Rev. G. F. Lovell as one of the exhibitors, so well afterwards known as an authority on this and other breeds.

In Non-Sporting, better supported than usual at this show, Mastiffs mustered well, also St. Bernards, the former with Messrs. E. Hanbury, J. Elwell, and Edwin Nichols "in the money." The other good classes were Bull-dogs (with Messrs. Adcock, Dawes, Henshall, and T. Taylor chief winners) and Bull-terriers, over and under 20 lb.

(with Messrs. Boyce, Dawes, and W. Mayhew in front rank). Black-and-tan Terriers found most of the money going to Messrs. Lacy's entries. In Pugs, Maltese, and Toy Terriers the late Mrs. Bligh Monck was very much in evidence. Other Toy varieties had but moderate support, and the extra class had the usual miscellaneous assortment.