SPORTING DOGS. 203 



bo tiptlv applied, (since all trace of bis descent from any 

 particular strain bas been lost,) tbat in tbe field can, for 

 nose, pace, and staunclmess, bold bis owm against an}' of bis 

 more aristocratic confreres. Here, bowever, be stops. 



Tbe Setter is at present tbe favorite M^tb spoi-tsmen 

 generally, and, for nn- part, I tbink be is fully entitled to 

 tbis bonor; since botb mj' own experience, and sucb evi- 

 dence as I bave been able to collect, sbow tbat be is unde- 

 niably better atlapted for all kinds of work tban any otber 

 field dog. As to wbicb of tbe ditterent varieties is tbe best 

 it is certainly a difficult question to answer witbout preju- 

 dice. Each bas its friends and partisans, and as between 

 good tilings it is bard to make a selection I can only say 

 tbat eitber is good enougb, and my readers may Ibllow tbe 

 dictates of tbeir own fancy witbout fear of getting an in- 

 ferior animal provided tbey are careful to get pure blood. 



It was not until tbe Setter bad been for many years a 

 ]-esident of Great Britain tbat tbe Pointer made his first 

 appearance in tbat realm, being imported from Spain by 

 some admirer of bis keen nose and indomitable staunchness. 

 The original color was liver and white, and the dog was 

 large boned, with a heavy bead and slack loins. In the 

 field be possessed exquisite scenting powers, but was surly 

 and cross in disposition, stubborn, anti almost devoid of 

 affection for bis master. Of bis origin nothing is positively 

 known, but most of the old time authorities consider him 

 a cross from some of tbe larger hounds. 



Whatever may have been tbe descent of the old Span- 

 iard, whether pure or of hound extraction as these authors 

 assert, tbe modern Pointer is essentially a made-up dog. 



From bis slow and pottering style, the Spaniard soon 

 came to be regarded with disfavor, and breeders cast about 

 them for some cross wbicb would produce a dog perpetu- 

 ating the nose and staunchness of bis ancestor, but gifted 

 with a better form and more speed. To gain these, Fox- 

 bound blood was introduced with the happiest results: and 

 towards the close of tbe last century "Dash," a liver and 

 white^dog belonging to Col. Thornton, showetl such supe- 



