size, round, bright, and sparkling, with an intelligent expression, their colour greatly depending on the markings of the dog.  In the black spotted variety the eyes should be dark (black or dark brown), in the liver-spotted variety they should be light (yellow or light brown).  THE RIM ROUND THE EYES in the black-spotted variety should be black, in the liver-spotted variety brown—­never flesh-colour in either.  EARS—­The ears should be set on rather high, of moderate size, rather wide at the base, and gradually tapering to a round point.  They should be carried close to the head, be thin and fine in texture, and always spotted—­the more profusely the better.  NOSE—­The nose in the black-spotted variety should always be black, in the liver-spotted variety always brown.  NECK AND SHOULDERS—­The neck should be fairly long, nicely arched, light and tapering, and entirely free from throatiness.  The shoulders should be moderately oblique, clean, and muscular, denoting speed.  BODY, BACK, CHEST, AND LOINS—­The chest should not be too wide, but very deep and capacious, ribs moderately well sprung, never rounded like barrel hoops (which would indicate want of speed), the back powerful, loin strong, muscular, and slightly arched.  LEGS AND FEET—­The legs and feet are of great importance.  The fore-legs should be perfectly straight, strong, and heavy in bone; elbows close to the body; fore-feet round, compact with well-arched toes (cat-footed), and round, tough, elastic pads.  In the hind-legs the muscles should be clean, though well-defined; the hocks well let down.  NAILS—­The nails in the black-spotted variety should be black and white in the liver-spotted variety brown and white.  TAIL—­The tail should not be too long, strong at the insertion, and gradually tapering towards the end, free from coarseness.  It should not be inserted too low down, but carried with a slight curve upwards, and never curled.  It should be spotted, the more profusely the better.  COAT—­The coat should be short, hard, dense and fine, sleek and glossy in appearance, but neither woolly nor silky.  COLOUR AND MARKINGS—­These are most important points.  The ground colour in both varieties should be pure white, very decided, and not intermixed.  The colour of the spots of the black-spotted variety should be black, the deeper and richer the black the better; in the liver-spotted variety they should be brown.  The spots should not intermingle, but be as round and well-defined as possible, the more distinct the better; in size they should be from that of a sixpence to a florin.  The spots on head, face, ears, legs, tail, and extremities to be smaller than those on the body.  WEIGHT—­Dogs, 55 lbs.; bitches, 50 lbs.

CHAPTER VIII

THE COLLIE