DOGS. 69T 



Points of the Irish Setter. The following description of points applies to the 

 pure red variety, but the white and red differ from them only in color. It will be seen that 

 although resembling the English Setter, in some respects, the Irish Setter differs very mate 

 rially from them in others: 



The Skull. The skull is somewhat longer and narrower, the eyebrows being well raised, 

 and the occipital prominence as marked as in the Pointer. The Nose. The nose is a trifle 

 longer, with good width, and square at the end: nostrils wide open, with the nose itself of a 

 mahogany or very dark fleshy-color, not pink nor black. JSyes, JEars, and Lips. The eyes 

 should be a rich brown or mahogany color, well set, and full of intelligence; a pale or 

 gooseberry eye is to be avoided. Ears long enough to reach within half an inch or an inch of 

 the end of the nose, and, though more tapering than in the English dog, never coming to a 

 point; they should be set low and close, but well back, and no approaching to Hound s in 

 setting and leather. Whiskers red; lips deep, but not pendulous. The Body. In frame 

 the Irish dog is higher on the leg than either the English or Black-and-Tan, but his elbows are 

 well let down nevertheless; his shoulders are long and sloping; brisket deep, but never 

 wide; and his back ribs are somewhat shorter than those of his English brethren. Loin 

 good, slightly arched, and well coupled to his hips, but not very wide; quarters slightly sloping, 

 and flag set on rather low, straight, fine in bone, and beautifully carried. Breeders are, 

 however, going for straight backs like that of Palmerston, with flags set on as high as in the 

 English Setter. The Legs. Legs very straight, &quot;with good hocks, well-bent stifles, and 

 muscular but not heavy haunches. The Feet. The feet are hare-like, and moderately hairy 

 between the toes. The Tail. The tail is clothed with a long, straight comb of hair, never 

 bushy or curly, and this is beautifully displayed on the point. The Coat. The coat should 

 be somewhat coarser than that of the English Setter, being midway between that and the 

 Black-and-Tan, wavy but not curly, and by no means long. Both hind and fore legs are well 

 feathered, but not profusely, and the ears are furnished with feather to the same extent, with 

 a slight wave, but no curl. The Color. The color should be a rich blood red, without any 

 trace of black on the ears or along the back; in many of the best strains, however, a pale 

 color or an occasional tinge of black is shown. A little white on the neck, breast, or toes, 

 is by no means objectionable, and there is no doubt that the preponderance of- white, so as to 

 constitute what is called &quot;white and red,&quot; is met with in some good strains. 



Retrievers. There are various kinds of dogs used for retrieving in open or covert 

 shooting. Retrievers proper, however, are cross-bred dogs, the principal of which are the 

 English Retriever, which is a cross between the Irish Water Spaniel and the Newfoundland ; 

 another valuable strain as a cross between the former and the English Setter. Another 

 variety known as the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, is represented by three different strains, viz. : 

 the Red Winchester, a dog with long smooth hair, the Curly Retriever, having curly hair of a 

 reddish -brown color, and the Otter breed, a short-haired, smooth -coated dog of a tawny brown 

 color. The object of the cross is to produce a dog sufficiently strong to carry heavy game, 

 such as rabbits and large birds; and having sufficient hardiness not to be affected by running in 

 cold water. The English Retriever has generally a curly coat, and is black and tan in color. 



The qualities which are essential in the regular Retriever have been given as follows: 

 &quot; Great delicacy of scent, and power of stopping (which latter is often not possessed by the 

 Pointer) ; cleverness to follow out the windings of the wounded bird, which are frequently 

 most intricate, and puzzle the intelligence as well as the nose to unravel them; love of 

 approbation, to induce the dog to attend to the instructions of his master, and an amount of 

 obedience which will be required to prevent his venturing to break out when game is before 

 him. He should also have an excellent temper.&quot; 



The following anecdote is related of an English Retriever belonging to Sir Charles 

 Taylor, which shows the wonderful intelligence of the animal. It was the custom of Sir 

 VOL. II. 37 



