DEATH OF FULLERTON.

! (By '-"Vindex.") ! Four times victorious at Waterloo, one of • j the grandest greyhounds that aver looked | through a pair of slips died in June. Unlike his groat rival in fame, Master M'Grath, who died shortly after the close of his running j career, FullerLon survived till the fairly ripe I age of a little beyond 12 years, having been j whelped on April 17, 1887. His native heath, i I need scarcely remind my readers, waß North- ; umberland, being bred at Short Flatt Tower by I Mr Edwtvrd Dent from his celebrated bitch, ! Bit of Fashion, hie sire being^ Mr Gladstone's | wonderful greyhound. Greentick. He was one ! of a litter of ten, which goes to show that the ! .number a bitoh may carry has really little to I do with, eithe" the quality or calibre of the offspring. Fullerton was a noble-looking greyhound of 651b weight. His career was a- senEational one in many ways. Ho made Ins debut in the Haydock Park Derby, with 72 runners, in September, 1888, and at once made a striking impression. The ground had baked in a fearfully hard condition, and of all the 180 that ran at Haydock that week Fullerton was the only fast greyhound that lined ite game throughout with force and truth- Six severe ordeals, however, told their tale, he having been, nearly to the far end "of th-e enclosure every time, and in the final Mr Gladstone's Greengage, half-brother to Fullerton (both being by Greentick), with much the best of the handicap, beat him for eoeed in a short course. Three months later one subject $. our sketch figured in a different arrena. Mr Dent had decided to sell off, and such was the prestige of the Short Flatt kennel at the time that 24 lots realised a total of 2097g5. the sale being rendered memorable by the late Colonel North giving 850gs for Fullerton. The Colonel was otherwise an extensive purchaser at the sale, and instead of the Short Flatt team being generally dispersed, maoiy of them returned home to remain under the watchful eye and skilful care of th-eii old master. Mr Dent. Fullerton was now put into training for the Waterloo Cup, and it is a matter of history that ho shared the lu>nours with his kennel companion, Troughend, for whom Colonel North had given 470gs at Messrs Thompson's sale_ two months previously. Opinions were divided as to which would have won with a run-off for Fullerbon, owing to having been Amiss early in the year, did not upon this occasion display those great powers made so conspicuous in subsequent years Indeed, on the opening day Dear Belle was able to make an undecided with him, being then drawn, and in the thircl round he had to go a second time to slips with Barbican 11. JTullerton's second virat to Waterloo was a much more brilliant affair, for though Alonkside fairly challenged liim as they crossed the ploughing on Little Altcar, his six victories were really a series of brilliant displays. Again in 1891 he scored in a gloriou&ly triumpna.nt manner. He was held for speed by his younger brother, Simonian, in the first round, but the crack's more genuine attributes gained him a clever victory, and his subsequent successes over Real Lace, Rhymes. Meols Major, Button Park, and Fa.ster and Faster vied with each other in point of brilliance. Fullerton'e fourth Waterloo victory was, all tilings considered, the most remarkable of ; them all. It was not tc be expected that he would quite retain all his old speed, but in ; other respects hia magnificent power 3 were evidenMy unimpaired, and he showed not the i slightest trace of cunning. More than this, j hi? .stoutness of heart «■»« put severely to the < test m the final course. Tha first attempt be- ' tween him and Fitz Fife resulted in a short un- ' decided, but they got . trimming hare to seUlo accounts, and had the old dog not dis- J played splendid courage he would have been ■ beaten. He showed speed, and made a strong beginning, but Fitz Fife, getting well placed, ' was equalising the pcore with desperate clevernt-«, a ve\erpal only being wived by Fullerlon'n game finish. This victory \, : ,m re-ally the transcendent point n fc'ulierton". r-i^reer. it not only eclipsed Master Af'Grath's treble ■ricLory, but U also demonstrated that Fullerton could Ktay through . trying course, whereas the Irish celebrity upon the only occasion of his being asked tc run a long courpe, against Cl'sirming May, signally failed. It would have been "vrell had Fulierton s active careei ended here, but at hf could still beat the best of his kennel companions at home, lie fitted the scene of his many triurnplis once more, only to encounter defeat in the iecond round from the Irish dog, FulJ Captain, al-

though such was the confidence of his owner' and the public in the popular idol, that de6pite his being a fifth-season greyhound <w little as 4 to 1 was taken that he would again win the Cup. Fullerton was now relegated to other duties, and there was great demand for his services ati 50gs. Unfortunately for his owner and for our breed of greyhounds, the bitches all proved , barren, n,pr did any other vesult follow with > a year's rest. j Romance at this time entered into the great dog's life. He had left Short Flatt with the close of his running days, and was one of the attractive shows at Colonel North's place at { Eltham. Fullerton, however, was not happy, and was lost for several days, it being Mr Dent'e opinion that he was making an endeavour to reach his Northern home, and that he would probably have succeeded had London ■ not blocked him. He was not sold at the diai persal of the late Colonel North's kennel, Mr ! Dent taking him back to both the home and j the master he loved so well. ■ Fullerton will not only enjoy imperishable . fame in coursing history, but students will be i able to study the conformation of ,<>ne of the i greatest canine wonders that ever lived. He ■ is to be set up in South Kensington Museum. . | ■ — — — — _______ ___