In a conversation with Miss Mackenzie, I learned that there are, at the time I write, some dozen or so Italian greyhounds in her kennels, and all are strong and hardy, full of life and play, are never sheeted, and can stand a shower of rain as well as any other dog. Moreover, they are remarkably free from illness or disease, and no case of distemper has ever occurred in her kennels. The bitches suckle and rear their own puppies from four to six at a time, and are no more trouble than are other dogs on similar occasions. The great difficulty Miss Mackenzie finds is in obtaining fresh blood of the real Italian greyhound, such I mean as does not contain terrier cross however remote. The latter is shown where puppies come black and tan, whilst in the real article, only whole coloured or perhaps fawn and white or red and white young ones are born.

It may be interesting to note that the parent of Miss Mackenzie's kennel was a dog called Jack, purchased in 1879 in Smithfield Market from a labouring man for ten shillings. He was a beautiful dog, about 11lib. in weight, strong, symmetrical,active, thoroughly healthy, and pretty well on to eighteen years of age when he died; he never sired a badly coloured puppy. From the butcher purchaser in the market, Jack went to Miss Mackenzie, with whom he died. Of course there was no pedigree. However, ten years or more after at one of the Birmingham shows, a visitor introduced himself to Miss Mackenzie, admired her tiny dogs which were sired by Jack. Now comes the curious fact of the matter. The man, who came from the neighbourhood of Rugby, said his late master had, about the time that Jack was purchased, lost a dog in London similar to him in every way. The dog had been his constant companion both in the country and in town, and on the night when he was lost, had slipped out of the carriage whilst a purchase was being made, much to the regret of the master who quite failed to trace the lost dog. From certain marks and peculiarities, no doubt the Smithfield ten shilling purchase was the dog in question, indeed, so convinced was Miss Mackenzie that such was the case, that an offer was made to restore the dog to his former owner. Unfortunately, the gentleman in question had then been dead two or three years.

The parents of this dog Jack had both been brought from Italy, his sire being about 12½1b. in weight, and said to be so strong and swift as to gain successes as a rabbit courser in Warwickshire.

No doubt the health of Miss Mackenzie's specimens is due to the fact that they are sprung from big dogs and bitches, and that no attempt has been made to cross them with the delicate, diminutive toy terrier. At present the specimens of her strain are growing smaller, but so long as pains are taken to breed from healthy, sound parents, there is no reason to doubt that the Italian greyhound in such good, careful hands may become fashionable. In a perfect specimen elegance is "caninified," if such a word may be used, and it is to be regretted that there are not more persons who at present take any interest in the variety. So far as I can make out, a Mr. Anstice, of Hammersmith, is about the only other person who of late years has given much attention to their breeding. I believe he has not hitherto exhibited any of his dogs.

That the Italian greyhound can be appreciated by others not so civilized as ourselves, is proved by the statement which recently appeared in the papers, that the Matabele monarch, Lobengula, before he became our enemy, quite fell in love with an Italian greyhound he saw at Johannesburg. For a long time its owner, Mr. Luscombe Searelle, refused to part with his favourite, but in the end struck a bargain, he receiving two hundred head of cattle for his little dog. The black king was very much pleased with the exchange, which he left in charge of two of his chiefs, with the orders, should any evil happen to the dog, the chiefs' lives would be forfeited.

The latter came to pass soon after, as the men fell in battle, but what became of the dog we are not told.

In disposition the Italian greyhound is kindly and affectionate, and in temper equitable. He is little use as a watch dog, nor will he kill vermin; he is just a pet and an ornament and nothing more, though he can do with more exercise than many of the toy spaniels, and from the time he leaves his dam ought to have unlimited run, and be free from confinement. This is the only means by which his unique elegance of form can be obtained and perpetuated. In weight he ought to be not more than 91b. at the most, the smaller the better, so long as he is strong and robust, and not apple-headed - some modern specimens are the latter to an alarming extent, which to my mind shows a terrier cross, as does a compact, well-ribbed, houndlike body. The Italian greyhound in shape, and in everything else but in colour, should be like an ordinary greyhound, but throughout much slimmer, less muscular, and more fragile, even taking size into consideration; head, ears, eyes, feet, body, shape, etc, such as are to be found on a miniature Master McGrath or Fullerton. Tulip or erect ears are bad and ugly. Colour, self or whole coloured, fawn in various shades is the most common, black we seldom see, white not more frequently, and, although blue or slate is most acceptable as a hue, it is long since I have seen a specimen of such a colour. Red I do not care for, and when pronounced in darkness, to my way of thinking, points to an off cross. Dark shadings are undesirable, and a little white on the breast or on the feet, is no more than a slight handicap; I mean that if judged by points, a white or pale chest, a white foot, or even two white feet, where in other respects the colour was good, and the general formation perfect, the dog so marked should have precedence over a dog worse in formation and character, even though such be perfect in colour.

Like all other varieties, the Italian greyhound has a distinctive character of its own, which is strongly displayed in its high and haughty action when walking, trotting, or galloping. Dr. Walsh called this peculiar action "prancing," nor did he describe it otherwise than correctly, as he did all things he took in hand. The Italian greyhound proper was never bred from any of our ordinary greyhounds, or even crossed with them, although a lot of nonsense inferring such has been the case I have seen published. He is as much a variety of the canine race as the St. Bernard, mastiff, and foxhound.

I should apportion the points as follows:

Grand Total, 100.