Dogs. 129 



For another reason he will be found the 

 more pleasant companion on a snipe-shoot- 

 ing expedition, namely, his greater impervious- 

 ness to wet. As he trots along at his master's 

 heels he will have to take his chance of all 

 sorts of terrible going, and it needs a thick- 

 coated eager animal to preserve his latent 

 force all day until it happens to be wanted. 

 Both these qualities the setter possesses, 

 whereas a pointer, with his short sleek coat, 

 may be reduced to a pitiable condition of 

 shivering after a long struggle through rotten 

 bog or sodden marshes, and nothing is more 

 apt to put a man who loves dogs off his 

 shooting than the knowledge that his friend 

 behind has had enough of it. 



Finally, there is no comparison between 

 the qualities of these two splendid breeds 

 of dogs as pals and companions. A pointer 

 is an earnest, laborious fellow, a thorough 

 rustic, and a workman from the blunt of his 

 wonderful nose to the tip of his stiff-pointed 

 stern ; but he does not shine in society, and 

 is indeed all the better without it. Whereas 



