478 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
In view of his special aptitude for work in cover 
and rough country, the spaniel should fit in usefully 
in many sections of Canada, New England, Pennsyl- 
vania, etc., for woodcock and ruffed grouse shooting. 
Yet, even in those sections, the stretches of open game 
country are so numerous, though contiguous to cover, 
that much of the best shooting ground is beyond the 
capabilities of the spaniel. Thus the advantages and 
disadvantages average up in such a way that in the 
compromise as to methods the setter and pointer have 
the preference. 
In open country, where range is an essential to suc- 
cess, the spaniel has no standing as a worker. As he 
ranges close, from compulsion, and flushes his birds 
when he finds them, it is quite obvious that in a prairie 
or open country he could not meet the requirements. 
In bench show competition, and as a house dog, the 
spaniel shines as a favorite. Some years ago his ad- 
mirers made a vigorous attempt to organize spaniel 
field trials in the United States, but the effort resulted 
in failure. However, in England, spaniel trials have 
been held with more or less success. 
The foregoing remarks, in the main, apply to field 
and cocker spaniels, but there are several other breeds 
used for field work, chief of which are the Clumber 
spaniel, a dog of heavy physique, slow and mute in 
his work, and easily broken to work to the gun. The 
Sussex spaniel is a dog of hardy constitution, a good 
all-round worker, much prized at one time in England 
for his superior usefulness afield. The English springer 
