FOWLING DOGS. 279 



THE POINTERS AND SETTERS. 



The Pointer (Plate XV; has a moderately large head, a high fore- 

 head, broad square muzzle, a long neck, strong loins, and wide hips ; 

 the tail is strong at the root, then suddenly diminishes, and within two 

 inches of the tip goes off into a point. The shape of the tail is an index 

 of pure breeding. 



The Pointer possesses considerable speed, and this quality is specially 

 useful because it permits the sportsman to walk forward at a moderate 

 pace, while his dogs are beating over the field to his right and left. The 

 sagacious animals are so obedient to the voice and gesture of their mas- 

 ter, and are so well trained to act with each other, that at a wave of the 

 hand they will separate, one going to the right and the other to the left, 

 and so traverse the entire field in a series of " tacks," to speak nautically, 

 crossing each other regularly in front of the sportsman as he walks for- 

 ward. When either of them scents a bird he stops suddenly, arresting 

 even his foot as it is raised in the air, his head thrust forward, his body 

 and limbs fixed, and his tail stretched straight out behind him. This 

 attitude is termed a "point," and on account of this peculiar mode of 

 indicating game, the animal is termed the " Pointer." 



The Setter (Plate XVIj. As the Pointers derive their name from 

 their habits of standing still and pointing at any game which they may 

 discover, so the Setters have earned their title from their custom of 

 " setting " or crouching when they perceive their game. In the olden 

 days of sporting the Setter used always to drop as soon as it found the 

 game, but at the present day the animal is in so far the imitator of the 

 Pointer that it remains erect while marking down its game. 



The English Setter is thus described : " A moderately heavy head, 

 but not so much so as in the Pointer ; the muzzle not so broad nor so 

 square in profile, the lower angle being rounded off, but the upper being 

 still nearly a right angle. The eye is similar to that of the Pointer, but 

 not so soft, being more sparkling and full of spirit. The ear long, but 

 thin, and covered with soft, silky hair, slightly waved. The neck is long, 

 but straighter than that of the Pointer, being also lighter and very flexible. 

 The back and loins are hardly so strong as those of the Pointer, the latter 

 also being rather longer ; the hips also are more ragged, and the ribs not 

 so round and barrel-like. The tail or ' flag ' is usually set on a little lower. 



