132 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



ing steadily forward for a few paces, he at last stood still 

 near a bunch of heather, the tail expressing the anxiety of 

 the mild by moving regularly backwards and forwards. At 

 last out sprang a fine old blackcock. Bang, bang, went both 

 barrels, but the bird escaped unhurt. The patience of the 

 dog was now quite exhausted ; and, instead of dropping to 

 charge, he turned boldly round, placed his tail between his 

 legs, gave one howl, long and loud, and set off as fast as he 

 could to his own home." The pointer has been known to 

 lie down without bidding beside game which has been dropped 

 from a bag, after a long day's shooting, and watch it faith- 

 fully until relieved on the following day, when the missing 

 birds were searched for and found. 



The Setter. The Setter (Cam's Index) divides with the 

 pointer the duty of attending the sportsman on his shooting 

 expeditions. According to Captain Brown he was " originally 

 derived from a cross between the Spanish pointer and the 

 large water spaniel and was justly celebrated for his fine 

 scent." Many crossings have considerably varied the breed, 

 of which the Irish is now considered purer than the English 

 and Scotch breeds. " In figure, " says Colonel Smith, " they 

 participate of the pointer and the Spaniel, though larger 

 than the latter. In England they are white, or white with 

 black or brown marks." They are intelligent, affectionate 

 and docile, and often show great sagacity outside the domain 

 of sport. 

 The Scent of Col. Hutchinson says, "I was partridge -shooting 



the Setter, the season before last with an intimate friend. 

 The air was soft, and there was a good breeze. We came 

 upon a large turnip-field, deeply trenched on account of its 

 damp situation. A white setter, that habitually carried a 

 lofty head, drew for awhile, and then came to a point. We 

 got up to her. She led us across some ridges, when her 

 companion, a jealous dog (a pointer), which had at first 

 backed correctly, most improperly pushed on in front, but, 



