24 MODERN TRAINING. 



The typical Gordon was heavily built, and, whatever sym- 

 metry of form may have been possessed by the parent stock, 

 the inherent faultiness of a heavy type has resulted in coarse- 

 ness and clumsiness. Some fanciers approve of the heavy 

 type because it is a Gordon type, whereas the fact of such 

 undesirable type is sufficient to condemn it, it being wholly 

 inadequate for fast, prolonged work. It is strange that, 

 considering its unfitness for working dogs, this type should 

 be cultivated and perpetuated. 



The public performances of the very few which have com- 

 peted in the public trials, and the general reputation of the 

 breed for inefficiency, are not such as to exalt it in the good 

 opinion of sportsmen at large. There is a desultory attempt 

 being made to establish a Gordon setter standard which will 

 call for a lighter and more racily built dog, but this con- 

 templated improvement is largely in the abstract, there 

 being an undue proportion of good intention to imaginary 

 performance ; yet these spasmodic, vague, gentle attempts 

 constitute the most tangible form of existence of the Gor- 

 don setter. A standard could not benefit the prevailing 

 poverty of material naturally resulting from neglect, 

 apathy of ownership, natural inferiority, smallness of num- 

 bers, formidable competition from more powerful breeds, 

 and disfavor of sportsmen. In field sports the Gordon 

 setter is a dim, fading landmark in the march of progress. 



The Irish setter, as a breed, is not surpassed, if equaled 

 by any other breed in uniformity of type and other race 

 characteristics. The individuals of it have high average 

 merit; and the more perfect specimens, of which there are 

 many, possess a wonderful degree of elegance and sym- 

 metry of form. They are a deep, solid, blood-red in color, 

 except a slight blaze of white on the chest or toes, which is 

 usually present. There are occasional specimens of pure 

 breeding which have more or less white markings; but the 



