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National Geographic : 1919 Mar
Contents
THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE BEDLINGTON TERRIER (For illustration, see page 250) The Bedlington terrier is a dog of very de ceptive appearance, and this may account in some degree for the fact that he has never been very popular. Clad in a woolly coat and a smile that would have graced Mary's little lamb, one who did not know him would hardly suspect the stout heart which beats beneath t he wool-the steel trap jaws behind that cherubic smile. He's as game as the gamest, and if you had a Bed lington errierr between you and a wild cat well, yo sho ee should feel sorry for the wild cat. There has never been a pronounced fancy for the Bedlington in this country, though he is a very distinctive dog, resembling no other type. Not quite as large as the Airedale of today, he is characterized by his harsh, rough coat and his curiously lamblike head, occa sioned by the silky pale top-knot and brow. The only one the artist ever knew was an invetr rerate rather, and if the breed is as good on all vermin as this one was on his favorite quarry, it should be popular as a pest-ridder! In conformation they are true terriers straight of back and leg and active to a de gree. Their color may be blue, blue and tan, liver, liver and tan, sandy, or sandy and tan. In all colors the head should be decidedly paler than the rest of the dog. The Dandie (or Dandy) Dinmont, a Scottish terrier rather popular in this country, resem bles the Bedlington somewhat, but is extremely short in the legs and big in the head. He is a quaint, affectionate little fellow, whose woolly crown gives an odd expression of sadness to the half-hidden eyes. SCOTTISH TERRIER (For illustration,see page 262) Of very different appearance, but with the same stout heart, is the Scottish terrier, or "Scottie," as he is familiarly called-a short legged, stocky-bodied, wire-coated "tyke," who looks like nothing els e in the world. Of course, he hails from the Highlands of Scotland, where he is used to unearth foxes and other "varmints." His pluck has earned for him the soubriquet "die-hard," and usually he "lives" right tp to it. The "Scotty" is a "one-man dog." There is probably no dog more indifferent to the ad vances of any one but his own master or mis tress. Mrs. Baynes has a Scottish terrier named Heatherbloom. The little tyke cares nothing for the other side of the Baynes household, and only in the absence of her mis tress will she condescend to follow him. For her, other people do not exist, except as things to bark at sometimes. But to the one and only mistress she is loyalty itself. If separated for five minutes, the little ter rier greets her as if she had not seen her for months. And if Mrs. Baynes is ill, Heather- bloom will lie on the bed hour after hour, her head between her paws, and her bright eyes, half screened by her long lashes, steadily shin ing on the face she loves. His trustful eye, homely comeliness, and whimsical playfulness combine to endear the Scottish terrier strongly, and no dog is more companionable or unobtrusively affectionate. In these traits he is much like his rough little cousin, the West Highland white, from which, in fact, he differs in nothing so much as in the color of his coat. The Scotty is usually black or very dark grizzled with yellowish tips, although steel or iron gray, brindle, sandy and wheaten speci mens are occasionally seen. The dark dogs are much more popular here, howeverer. A good dog should stand 10 to 12 inches and weigh 16 to 20 pounds. The long-whiskered face; low, strong body; short, heavy legs, and rather heavy though gaily carried tail are all "earmarks" of the well-bred Scotty. He is all terrier, and with all his busy, active ways he combines a dig nity and solemnity of manner that is very amusing. THE WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER (For illustration, see page 262) The West Highland white is almost the counterpart of the Scottish terrier except in color, which must be pure white, with black nose. The forehead is higher, and a distinct stop is evident in the profile. The coat is double, the long outer hair being very harsh and wiry, the under coat much shorter and softer. The Cairn and Sealyham terriers are rap idly coming into popularity, and belong in this group. The Cairn terrier has less pro nounced whiskers than the Scotty, and his coat is somewhat shorter and reveals his form rather more, while the Sealyham is quite dif ferent in that the ears, instead of being short and pointed, are quite long and lop forward like an Airedale's. In color they are like the wire-haired fox terrier-white, with or without patches of black (or sandy red) on the face. The Sealyham is supposed to have Dandie Dinmont in his make-up, which gives him sub stance and rather a more bandy-legged appear ance than Scotty or his white cousin should have. The head, with its lopping ears and more pronounced stop, has a less piquant ex pression. The tail is docked and carried high. THE SKYE TERRIER (For illustration,see page 262) No doubt in his earlier days the Skye ter rier was a good sport, but of late years he has given so much consideration to "dress" that he has degenerated into a lap-dog. His coat, which is his chief title to distinction, is so 244
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