20 THE AMERICAN HUNTING DOG 



springer, setter and the water spaniel, all devel 

 oped from a silky coated, white or speckled dog 

 with a docked tail (even then) which was feath 

 ered if allowed to grow. The battle of Crecy was 

 fought in 1342; Poictiers in 1356, and no doubt 

 Gaston de Foix came up from his huntings in the 

 south of France to take part as a mailed knight in 

 both of these battles. A print in Count de Foix'c 

 old book shows three of his spaniels, a large wavy 

 coated dog with long bushy tail looking something 

 like a modern setter, two coursing hounds, and 

 two lyms or tracking hounds, both pairs drop- 

 eared. The spaniels are shown springing into the 

 air on hind toes with fore feet outstretched, much 

 as a cocker spaniel does to-day, and barking, evi 

 dently scaring birds into flight for the talons of 

 the hawk. 



In 1576 Dr. Caius describes all three spaniels as 

 different varieties, "The Dogge called the Setter 

 or Canis Index, and the Dogge called the Water 

 Spaniell or Canis Aquaticus," being described as 

 to appearance and usage at great length. We 

 quote his description of the setter of 1576. "An 

 other sort of dogge be there, seruiceable for fowl 

 ing, making no noise either with foote or tongue, 

 while they followe the game. These attend dili 

 gently vpon theyr master and frame theyr condi- 



