* * *

There have, of recent years, been many very excellent specimens of the
Scottish Terrier bred and exhibited. Preeminent among them stands Mrs.
Hannay's Ch. Heworth Rascal, who was a most symmetrical terrier, and
probably the nearest approach to perfection in the breed yet seen.
Other very first-class terriers have been the same lady's Ch. Gair,
Mr. Powlett's Ch. Callum Dhu, Mr. McCandlish's Ems Cosmetic, Mr.
Chapman's Heather Bob and Heather Charm, Mr. Kinnear's Seafield Rascal,
Mr. Wood's Hyndman Chief, Messrs. Buckley and Mills's Clonmel Invader,
and Mr. Deane Willis's Ch. Huntley Daisy and Ch. Carter Laddie.

It is highly probable that of all the terrier tribe, the "Scottie,"
taken as a whole, is the best companion. He makes a most excellent
house-dog, is not too big, does not leave white hairs about all over
the place, loves only his master and his master's household, and is,
withal, a capable and reliable guard. He is, as a rule, a game,
attractive terrier, with heaps of brain power, and from a show point
of view there is always some recompense in keeping him, as it will be
found he breeds true to type and does not beget offspring of all sorts,
shapes, and makes.

CHAPTER XXXIX

THE WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER

Man, being a hunting animal, kills the otter for his skin, and the
badger also; the fox he kills because the animal likes lamb and game
to eat. Man, being unable to deal in the course of a morning with the
rocks under and between which his quarry harbours, makes use of the
small dog which will go underground, to which the French name terrier
has been attached.

Towards the end of the reign of James the First of England and Sixth
of Scotland, we find him writing to Edinburgh to have half a dozen
"earth dogges or terrieres" sent carefully to France as a present, and
he directs that they be got from Argyll, and sent over in two or more
ships lest they should get harm by the way. That was roughly three
hundred years ago, and the King most probably would not have so highly
valued a newly-invented strain as he evidently did value the
"terrieres" from Argyll. We may take it then that in 1600 the
Argyllshire terriers were considered to be the best in Scotland, and
likely enough too, seeing the almost boundless opportunities the
county gives for the work of the "earth dogges."

But men kept their dogs in the evil pre-show days for work and not for
points, and mighty indifferen