Again, if there is burrowing to do, the short-legged one has also the advantage of the other, as it is impossible to use long legs properly in a hole. The shortest-legged of all burrowing animals is the mole, and it is credited with being able to make a new hole for itself in less time than any other animal can.

"In general appearance the Skye terrier is a long, low dog, with a large head, a very long, flat-lying, straight coat, and a sharp, intelligent look. The head is long from the occipital bone to the eye; it is also broad, and has the appearance of being broader above the eyes than between the ears. This is owing to the position of the ears, which are set on high. The skull is flat, not domed like that of the Dandie. The muzzle is long and broad, the jaws strong, and the teeth very large. It is a much greater objection to the mouth of a Skye to be undershot than overshot.

"The perfect mouth is, of course, level, or, as many breeders prefer to have it, with the upper teeth fitting closely over the under ones. The eyes are dark brown or hazel in colour, of medium size, and are not prominent. There should not be much falling away under the eye; and there is almost no hollow or stop between the forehead and the muzzle. The ears should not be large, and if pendant, should hang straight down and lie close to the side of the head; if erect they should be set on high and carried without any outward inclination. The hair on the ear should hang gracefully down and mingle with that on the cheek, which should also be plentiful. The long hair on the face and ears has been called superfluous, but if those who think it so had ever seen one protected in this way go to ground in a sandy bank, they would be satisfied of its great advantage to the dog in keeping the sand out of his eyes and ears. The neck is long, slightly crested, and very muscular. The shoulders and forelegs feel as if they had been intended for a much larger dog. The chest is deep and somewhat wide, but not too much so. The back is very long, and nearly level. Breeders have a great abhorrence of a roach, or, as they call it, a "Dandie" back.

The ribs are well sprung, the barrel round and well-ribbed home. No Skye terrier should be flat-sided or tucked up in the flank. The loins are broad, and, like the quarters, well clothed with muscle. The thighs are strong and well developed, the second thighs prominent and reaching almost to the hock. Allowance is sometimes made for the forelegs being a little bandy, but they certainly ought to be straight. The elbows and stifles should not incline either inwards or outwards, as the Skye should stand as fair and square on his legs as a foxhound, and both the fore and hind feet should always point straight in front. The tail should be carried low, with a very slight curve. When the dog is not excited the proper position of the tail is a little below the level of his back. The feather of it should be long but thin. The coat, which has been already referred to, is composed of two distinct qualities or kinds of hair - an under coat of short soft woolly hair, and an outer coat, which is long and hard in texture. It should lie close to the dog, and be free from either wave or curl. A soft-coated dog looks larger then he really is.

One of the best ways of judging a Skye is to wet him, and if he is made as he ought to be, and has a correct coat upon him, he will look nearly as large when wet as when dry, whereas if he wants substance, or has a bunchy or soft coat, he will not appear half the size.

"The usual colours of Skyes are a slate blue, and all the intermediate shades between light silver-grey and black. Fawns still crop up occasionally, but as they are not general favourites, they are gradually becoming scarcer. Whatever the colour of the dog, the muzzle, ears, and tip of tail should be black, and the head and legs should always be as dark as the body. A lightish grey, with black points, is, perhaps, the colour most fancied by the public, but breeders prefer the darker colours, as there is a tendency with Skyes to throw stock lighter than themselves."

Weights, Measurements, Etc, Of Celebrated Drop-Eared Skye Terriers

Mr. James Pratt's Piper (K.C.S.B., 4852): Age, 6 years; weight, 161b.; height at shoulder, 9in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 30in.; length of tail, 9in.; girth of chest, 19in.; girth of loin, 15in.; girth of head, 15in.; girth of arm lin. above elbow, 5½in.; girth of leg lin. below elbow, 4in.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 8in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 7in.; colour and markings, slatey blue.

Mr. James Pratt's bitch Heatherbloom (K.C.S.B., 6695): Age, 4 years; weight, 141b.; height at shoulder, 8½in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 28in.; length of tail, 7½in.; girth of chest, 16in.; girth of loin, 12½in.; girth of head, 12in.; girth of arm lin. above elbow, 4in.; girth of leg lin. below elbow, 3in.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 7in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 6½in.; colour and markings, blue.

Weights, Measurements, Etc, Of Celebrated Prick-Eared Skye Terriers

Mr. Duncan Cunningham's Elcho: Age, 14 months; weight, 171b.; height at shoulder, 9in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 29in.; length of tail, 9in.; girth of chest, 17in.; girth of loin, 15½in.; girth of head, 13½in.; girth of arm lin. above elbow, 6in.; girth of leg lin. below elbow, 5iin.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 7¾in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 7½in.; colour and markings, silver grey.

Mr. Duncan Cunningham's bitch Thistle: Age, 2 years 7 months; weight, 151b.; height at shoulder, 8in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 27in.; length of tail, 7¾in.; girth of chest, 16in.; girth of loin, 13in.; girth of head, 12in.; girth of arm lin. above elbow, 5in; girth of leg lin. below elbow, 4½in.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 7in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 6iin.; colour and markings, steel grey.

Mr. Duncan Cunningham's Monarch: Age, 4 years 8 months; weight,. 201b; height at shoulder, 8¾in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 31½in.; length of tail, 9in.; girth of chest, 18in.; girth of loin, 15in.; girth of head, 14in. girth of arm lin. above elbow, 6in.; girth of leg lin. below elbow, 5½in.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 8½in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 8in.; colour and markings, blue.

MR. J. PRATT'S SKYE TERRIER "PIPER." Sire Toddy (K.C.S.B. 3513) - Dam Mist, Sister to Dunregan (K.C.S.B. 3455).

Perhie (K.P.R., 282): Age, 2 years and 7 months; weight, 161b.; height at shoulder, 8¾in.; length from nose to set on of tail, 30in.; length of tail, 8in.; girth of chest, 17in.; girth of loin, 14in.; girth of head, 12¼in; girth of arm lin. above elbow, 5½in.; girth of forearm lin. below elbow, 5iin.; length of head from occiput to tip of nose, 7¾in.; girth of muzzle midway between eyes and tip of nose, 6f in.; colour and markings, steel grey or blue.