"The Mogstad Skyes were of a dark greyish colour, with wiry hair, from 3in. to 3½in. long, with body low but long, and measuring well in girth, legs stout and short, and well provided with very strong claws; the greater part prick-eared, and all of them excellent workers.

"The Drynocks are another very splendid breed of the original pure Skyes, closely resembling the common Scotch seal in colour, short wiry hair, with body of a medium size, a good deal like the Mogstads, and all of them first-rate workers.

"The Camusennaries are another famous breed of the very real and pure Skye terriers, and derive their name from a wild and mountainous tract of land in Skye, extending from Coirnisk on the west town or the Spar Cave on the east. The breed were originally reared there by a Lieut. Macmillan, long passed away, the whole of them short wiry-haired, like the aforenamed breeds; colour almost always dark all over, middle part of hair in many instances grey, but again dark next the skin, no white on feet or chest; a thin medium-sized prick ear, and very pointed; and in every third or fourth litter a reddish-yellow one. This breed was excelled by perhaps no others of pure Skyes in the kingdom in point of courage, sense of smelling and readiness to work, in addition to many other excellent qualities. They would retrieve from the water, and one of these - a black, prick-eared dog, the property of the late J. Campbell, Esq., Lochard, in Appin, and residing in Skye eighty years ago - would follow the hounds for twelve hours over the steep and lofty Skye hills till the fox was traced to his den, where, in many instances, he had to succumb to this courageous and most powerful little dog, the exploits of which will be long remembered in Skye. Another of the same breed, black and prick-eared, the property of Mr. M'Intyre, head gamekeeper to the Lord M'Donald, has been known to break the jaw-bone of a full grown fox and kill him.

Some of the Camusennaries have been known to enter a pool of water three feet deep, enter a crevioe below the water, and bolt an otter.

"The next letter is from a captain, late of the 42nd Highlanders, residing in the Island of Mull: 'Sir, - Mr. G. (Knoch) has asked me to give you some information regarding a breed of Skye terriers kept by the late Col. Campbell, of Knoch. I remember them when I was a boy, now many years ago. They were generally of a dark grey colour, some quite black when young, but used to turn blue and grey when some two or three years old. There were also among his terriers some reddish-brown, with dark muzzles; both colours equally good at all sorts of vermin. They were kept purposely for otter-hunting, and no dogs could beat them at that sport. Their coats were short, thick, and wiry - no silky brutes among them; they were short-legged, and pretty long in the body, but not much out of proportion; small, sunken eyes, with very thick eyebrows; the ears were small, but not erect; their tails were carried by them pretty high, with a slight curve. To the best of my belief there is not one of the breed in Mull. A friend of mine, a Capt. M'Donald, of Waternish, Skye, is one of the best authorities on what a real Skye ought to be in all the highlands.

Should you apply to him, I am sure he would be glad to give all information on the subject.'

"I shall now give another quotation from the letter of another gallant officer, residing in Skye, who used to keep a pack of these game little dogs: "Sir, - I have always heard that the long-haired fancy terriers were the result of a cross from some Eus3ian poodles, and not by any means native. Your description of what I have and hold to be the real original Skye working terrier is as near as possible correct. I had them from dogs bred by Capt. Martin M'Leod, Gesto; Donald M'Askill, Rhue-dunner; Donald M'Leod, Esq., Kingsburgh; John M'Norman, Esq., Pyleahin. Pure, they are very scarce and rare, of late years have been much crossed, and, in some instances, were spoilt by in-and-in breeding; but the chief reason has been the demand by visitors for anything in the wool. I have only one dog alive now, as for many years I have given up keeping a pack. I liked them, and those I gave them to had the same value for them, as 'very cool hands,' once well entered. They are perfect for otters and foxes, never ' giving a cheep' till in grip then look out! Seldom twice mauled in a lifetime, almost always once; excellent noses (scent) and hardy feet, running all day on shore cairns without complaining.

One great virtue also is, they are kindly towards each other, even when their blood is up.

"Now, anyone who knows what Dandie Dinmonts (pure) are knows how unsafe they are when roused; or any cross with bull blood, how apt to quarrel in a cairn. I think I have adduced sufficient evidence to prove, what I shall presently show, is the proper description of the genuine Skye. I might adduce a great deal more, but consider it would be perfectly superfluous, considering the position of the gentleman supplying the information and their long experiences of this most valuable terrier. To begin, then, with head, it should be longish rather than round, muzzle broad, not snipey, jaw strong and muscular. Eyes dark brown, not so large or prominent as those of the Dandie, but they are very expressive of determination and intelligence; any watery stains near the eye show a decided cross. Ears are V shaped, broad at the roots, but tapering to a point; they are covered with short soft silky hair, not like the body coat, which is hard or wiry. The drop ear should drop to the front, and the prick-eared variety should stand erect and be entirely free of long hair, either falling down or standing out like awns or barley corns.

There can be no doubt but dogs having the above appendages are more or less crossed with some other breeds, and yet some I have seen on the show bench, with this addition to their ears, were, in many other respects, very good dogs. The dog Otter, of which an engraving is given, and to which the artist has done full justice, is scarce eleven months old, and is descended from the black wiry-haired Camusennaries on the dam's side, and the famous Mogstads on that of the sire, was bred at Armade, Skye, by J. Shaw, Esq., who has made the pure Skye a speciality for many years; and Otter has been pronounced by several eminent judges of the breed to be all but faultless, and possessing the best head and ears, as a Skye terrier, ever sent across the Border. Length of ear from 2½in. to 3in. Neck strong and muscular, about 5in. long, and from 9in. to 10in. in girth. Body, long in proportion to the dog's height, but not by any means a 'caterpillar' one; chest and ribs deep, body flat, not round. This seems to be a great provision of nature, as these dogs, when forcing their way into a burrow or den, can work as well lying on their sides as on their bellies.