DOGS ADAPTED TO SPORTING IN AMERICA. 217 



D(3GS ADAPTED TO SPOETING IN AMEEICA. 



«friipR. BURGES says: There are five varieties of dogs 

 SSIH adapted to American field sports, but of these two 

 ^^^ have only a limited sphere of usefulness. All of 



'Wf our sporting ma}" be done with Setters, Pointers, 

 Spaniels, Retrievers and small Hounds, and the object of 

 this chapter will be to show the use of each of these, and 

 which of the three former is best calculated to most fully 

 meet the requirements of the sportsman who seeks a dog 

 for general work. 



In considering this question intelligently, a due regard 

 must be had for the circumstances of our sportsmen, and 

 the nature and peculiarities of our hunting grounds and 

 game birds. As the surface of our country presents every 

 variety of ground frequented by the sportsman, and the 

 birds which we seek are very diverse in character, it is 

 evident that to fully meet all requirements a kennel of 

 several breeds might be maintained and hunted to advant- 

 ao-e; but as an off^set to this we have the well-known fact 

 that but very few of our sportsmen are in such circum- 

 stances, either pecuniarily or in point of habitation, as to 

 allow of the keeping up of such an extensive establish- 

 ment. The great majority keep but one dog, and with this 

 they expect to do general work ; consequently they want 

 the best dog for work at all times and over all kinds of 

 country, whether brake, bog or upland. 



The honor of first place must lie between the Setter and 

 Pointer, since, as we shall presently see, the Spaniel has 

 such a narrow field for the display of his qualities that he 

 is practically entirely out of the competition. With the 

 field thus reduced to two, a choice can be fairly made, since 

 we have only to give the dogs a thorough test by actual 

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