Collar

“ Not long ago a collar was presented to Bill as a reward for hisPage 61 services; unfortunately for him, he has since lost this token of public regard—a misfortune much to be regretted. The following verse was engraved on the collar:—
'I am the fire-escape man's dog: my name is Bill.
When 'fire' is called I am never still:
I bark for my master, all danger brave,
To bring the escape—human life to save.'
Collared or collarless, Bill is always ready to lend a helping bark. ”

“ And seizing it in both hands he flung it into the fire, where it exploded with a terrific noise. At first he rushed off to some distance, not knowing what might next befall, but after a while found that his steps had led him back to the place of the fire. The skin had gone and left no traces, but among the cinders he beheld something shining, which proved to be the magic collar. Ah! then his sister, for whom he had so greatly longed, must be near at last! And before he
could turn his head or pick up the collar, her arms were round his neck, and everything else was forgotten. ”

“ Behind the collar is a whitish gray median area continuous laterally with narrow light stripe down inner side of fore legs. This light area is sometimes divided by a dark median line joining collar with buff of belly. Belly and chest buff, essentially like that of sides, with which it forms no contrast in color. As on the sides the buff is clouded by black hair tips, but the hairs are scarcely if at all gray at base. On chest the dark hair tips tend to form a median stripe, which is sometimes sharply defined and continuous with the ochraceous line occasionally dividing white of breast. ”

“ Every animal in the team should have its own, and on first selecting the collar for fitting so put it on that the collar strap can be buckled up to the last hole in the tongue strap. When you have done this there should be room enough at the bottom of the collar in front of the animal’s chest to pass the open hand when laid flat freely forward and back between the inside of the collar and the animal’s neck. ”

“ The collar is the keystone of the pulling part of the harness. It should fit to a nicety, every horse having his own collar as much as the coachman should have his own boots. The collar should be lined with some non-porous material, preferably soft leather—even thin patent leather is good and easily cleaned. If the collar is too wide, it will rub the shoulders; if too short, it will choke the horse; if rounded at the top, it will press on and gall the withers. ”

“ COLLAR, something worn or fastened round the neck (Lat. collare, from collum, neck) , particularly a band of linen, lace or other material, which, under various shapes at different periods, has been worn by men and women to serve as a completion or finish to the neckband of a garment (see Costume) ; also a chain, worn as a personal ornament, a badge of livery, a symbol of office, or as part of the insignia of an order of knighthood, an application of the term with which the present article deals. ”

“ Along with the collar the successful candidates obtain the title of "Transcendental," as an affix to their name, and of this they are vastly proud. In fact, with their collar and their title they seemed to me to consider themselves, and are regarded by some of their hearers, as beings of a superior race to all not so decorated. ”

“ The body may be either low or high, with a small collar having two rows of cambric plaited very fine, or with a jaconet collar having open plaits, or again with a Charles V. collar, made of frieze well starched and lustred. The under sleeves should be always in harmony with the collar. ”

“ Usually the collar that will go over a horse's head will fit as to width, and is long enough when four fingers, held vertically, will go between the collar and neck, when the head is held in its usual position. The sides of the upper part of the collar, as well as the sides over the shoulders, should be well filled out, to prevent the rubbing of the point of the collar on the withers. ”

“ The collar is made to serve either as a stand collar for drill purposes, and to fall over for mess wear. It is made of scarlet cloth, with collar and pointed cuffs, or the regimental facings, edged all round with white cloth, 1⁄8 inch wide, ten buttons down the front, two above each cuff at back of sleeve, with shoulder cords, as worn on the doublet. In the Royal Highlanders, the jacket will have bluff silk lining, except for collar, which is dark blue, and no facing cloth on the inside. ”

“ If your dog has a collar—and every well-behaved dog deserves a pretty collar to wear when he goes out for a walk—be sure and take it off as soon as he comes in. Remember, also, that while the outside of the collar must be kept clean and bright in order to look well, it is very important for the good of the dog that the inside should be kept clean as well, and not allowed to become foul. ”

“ This gives you a working diagram for the collar. (See Fig. 36.)
If you want to copy the collar, shown in Fig. 32 (a) , measure along center-back line, the depth you want the collar in the back, and mark a point, as point C on Fig. 36. Fig. (36) The collar pattern for the tailored waist Line AB is the neck edge and BC is the center-back. From point C draw a line at right angle to the center-back, as line CD. Even a round collar must be straight across the lower edge for the fraction of an inch in the back or it will give the appearance of pointing down in the back. ”

“ When their excellencies give orders that anyone is to be strangled, he is made to sit down on a stool, the back turned to this collar, and his head is so placed that the collar goes round one half of the neck. ”

“ When a collar is too large to be adapted to a thin neck by stuffing, it will be well to cut a portion out of its centre at once, which can be done by first measuring the excess of space roughly, then take the collar off the animal; lay it on a board or table, and cut out evenly as much as is thought requisite, and if on testing the collar it is found still too large, cut out a little more from each side of the incision until the collar takes its proper bearing, but take care that a proper medium is observed regarding the position of the lower end, or bow, of the collar. ”

“ Each dog has a collar, to which a strong 281metal ring is sewed very firmly: this serves to fasten a piece of stout cord, the other end of which is looped, so as to pass over the dooreah’s hand, and to sit round his wrist; in general, the whole are led by the left hand, the right exercising the whip. ”

“ A rough, ill-fitted collar at best, they make its strain and friction past enduring, by placing it where the neck is most sensitive; and by mere continuous irritation this sensitiveness increases until the whole nature is quick and sore. ”

“ Let us be content to be ourselves, members of the honourable and ancient Guild of Guys.
There seems to be a general agreement to dispense with collars this year, and adopt instead a red worsted comforter, which is quite as sightly, and very much more hygienic in these raw, foggy days. But, if you must have a collar, have one in the "stick-up" shape, with the ends slightly dog's-eared; the necktie can hardly be too simple. ”

“ Male. Head above and on the sides, with chin, back, wings, and tail, black. A well-marked collar on the hind neck all round (and in var. capitalis a more or less distinct median stripe on crown, and one behind the eye) , edges of interscapular feathers, rump, and under parts generally pale brownish-orange, almost light cinnamon. Middle of belly, axillaries, and under wing-coverts, yellow. ”

“ You have not much fear, methinks, of the wooden collar. Didst ever see a pillory?”
“I have, and a godly man in it; and I shall [Pg 266] not soon forget the sight. Are you answered, my court bird?”
“You are a prick-eared knave; and, if I were not tired and hungry, you should smart for your saucy answers.” ”

“ If the animal does not work easy in it, if it pinch him somewhere, let it remain in water over night, put it on the animal wet the next morning, and in a few minutes it will take the exact formation of the animal's neck. See that it is properly fitted above and below to the hames, then the impression which the collar takes in a natural form will be superior to the best mechanical skill of the best harness-maker. ”

“ He has a collar on, and we put a rope through the collar and lead him anywhere, and he kicks up his heels, and seems to enjoy the play. We children have three horses that we can ride whenever we like—Flora, Maud, and Nellie. ”

“ In the vestry of the church here, according to our informant, used to be preserved in a box a{400} strange relic of other days and ways, in the shape of a brass collar by which poor unfortunate lunatics were chained to a wall. Where the collar has gone no one seems to know or care ”

“ The collars are of iron, hinged at the topmost point, and having a clasp like that of a lady’s bracelet to close them beneath the horse’s neck. When hanging, they are open to{439} their full extent; and as they descend upon the horse, they close and snap by their own weight. ”

“ To protect them from wounds from wild beasts we place collars on them, of the kind which we call _melium_, which is a girth around the neck made from strong leather studded with nails and lined with soft leather to protect the neck from being chafed by the hard iron heads of the nails: for if a wolf or other wild beast is once wounded by these nails all the other dogs are safe from his attack, even if they have no collars. ”

“ Of those who were seated on stones or who were kneeling attempting to support themselves on their hands, most wore square wooden collars of considerable size, weighing thirty pounds each, round their necks. ”

“ One of the strong points in preparing horses for spring work is in having their shoulders in a good, sound condition. With this to start with and soft and well-fitting collars there need be but little fear of any difficulty in keeping them all right, no matter how hard the labor horses have to endure. ”

“ WOOLEN CLOTHES. Dresses, suits, coats, skirts, etc., should be brushed regularly and watched closely for such small matters as loose buttons, frayed skirt edges, missing hooks and eyes, and soiled collars or necks.
HANGERS. Dresses and waists should be kept on hangers. Coats should never be left lying carelessly over chairs, and should never be hung up by the collar or armhole. They should be kept on hangers when they are not in use so that their necks and shoulders will not lose their shape. ”

“ So the youth did it again, and when he went up on the hill next year to look after his colt and the mares, each of the mares had her foal again; but the dappled colt was so big that when the lad wanted to feel its neck to see how fat it was, he could not reach up to it, it was so high, and it was so bright that the light glanced off its coat.
‘Big and handsome you were last year, my colt, but this year you are ever so much handsomer,’ said the youth; ‘in all the King’s court no such horse is to be found. ”

“ I and the other colts were feeding at the lower part of the field when we heard what sounded like the cry of dogs. The oldest of the colts raised his head, pricked his ears, and said, "There are the hounds!" and cantered off, followed by the rest of us, to the upper part of the field, where we could look over the hedge and see several fields beyond. My mother and an old riding horse of our master's were also standing near, and seemed to know all about it. "They have found a hare," said my mother, "and if they come this way we shall see the hunt." ”

“ I am unwilling to pass on to another illustration without more fully impressing on the minds of those who raise or break colts the necessity of kind and careful usage in educating their animals. Never approach your colt quickly. Never, pull the halter or bridle off quickly. Always handle the colt’s ears with great care. Never punish him on the body with anything but a whip, and with it as seldom as possible, as many colts become sulky and show signs of balking when severely whipped. ”

“ It was a pleasure, there on the open moor, with the lark soaring overhead, and the butterflies and bees hovering among the sweet-smelling furze blossoms, to see horses free and joyous, with no thought of bit or bridle, harness or saddle, whose hoofs had never been handled by the shoeing-smith, nor their coats touched with the singeing iron. Those little colts, with their thick heads, shaggy coats, and flowing tails, will have at least two years more freedom before they know what it is to be driven or beaten. ”

“ A little beyond, the road lay through a dark piece of woods that countrywomen, returning late from the store, were afraid to ride through after night-fall; as their horses always started and trembled and laid back their ears at the appearance of a mysterious white colt, which was frequently seen gamboling among the trees, and which no sensible people believed to be a real or living colt, as one horse is never frightened at the sight of another. ”

“ The young colts, the yearlings, and the handsome, coquettish bay mare, whose mission it is to tease the old horse, are frisking about or bending their swan-like, short-shorn necks to nibble at the blades of grass. ”

“ The mother of one, coming to the dividing fence, and putting her head over it, said to her neighbor:
“Just look at the color of my colt! Was there ever a lovelier bay? Before another spring has passed over his head I expect to see him in the stable of some millionaire. You know what a rage there is among rich men for fast horses. Now, look at the points in my colt—his long, clean limbs, his deer-like shape, his full eye and broad nostril. ”

“ But this is the start, and here they are,—coats bright as silk, and manes as smooth as eau lustrale can make them. Some of the best of the colts are pranced round, a few minutes each, to show their paces. What is that old gentleman crying about? and the old lady by him, and the three girls, all covering their eyes for? Oh, that is their colt that has just been trotted up on the stage. Do they really think those little thin legs can do anything in such a slashing sweepstakes as is coming off in these next forty years? ”