18 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



pose to place the result of our labors before the public, and to add our own 

 conclusions. 



There is no doubt that the sport of hawking was known and practiced by 

 the ancient Britons, and that the Roman was totally ignorant of the science; 

 but the invader at once came to the conclusion that the system might be 

 improved, and introduced the Land Spaniel, if not the Water Dog also, into 

 this country. 



These dogs roused the game, and this was all that the hawker required of 

 them in those early days; but in after years, as we shall see, dogs were required 

 to point, or, in the language of the quaint old WTiter, " sodainely stop and fall 

 down upon their bellies," and having so done, when within two or three yards, 

 "then shall your Setter stick, and by no persuasion go further till yourself 

 come in and use your pleasure." 



At first, then, without doubt, the Spaniel was merely used as a springer 

 for the hawk, which was subsequently neglected for the net; and the pro- 

 pensity of the dog to pause before making his dash at game was cultivated 

 and cherished, by breeding and selection, until, at last, gratified by observing 

 the action of the net, he yielded his natural impulse of springing at all, and 

 set, or lay down, to permit the net to be drawn over him. After this, the 

 hawker trained his Spaniel to set; then he cast off his hawks, which ascended 

 in circles, and "waited on" until his master roused the quarry from its con- 

 cealment, when she pounced upon it like a pistol-shot. 



When used either with hawks or for the net (especially in the latter case), 

 a far heavier dog answered the purpose than what we call a ' k High-ranging 

 Setter." The net enveloped a whole covey in its meshes, and few manors 

 w r ould allow of many coveys being taken in a day; whilst the disentangling 

 the birds, and securing them, allowed time for the heavy dog to rest and regain 

 his wind. 



Richard Surflet, who wrote in 1600, gives us the following information. 

 Writing of the Field or Land Spaniel, "of which sith before no author hath 

 fully intreated," he describes him as "gentle, loving, and courteous to man, more 

 than any other sort of dog whatsoever;" and as " loving to hunt the wing of any 

 bird, especially partridge, pheasant, quails, rails, poots, and such like." He 

 tells us we are " to choose him by his shape, beauty, metal, and cunning hunt- 

 ing; his shape being discerned in the good composition of his body, as when 

 he hath a round, thick head, a short nose, a long, well-compast, and hairie 

 eare, broad and syde lips, a cleere red eie, a thick neck, broad breast, short 

 and well-knit joints, round feete, strong cleys (high dew-cley'd), good round 

 ribs, a gaunt bellie, a short, broad backe, a thicke, bushie, and long-haired 

 taile, and all his bodie generally long and well-haired. 



" His beautie is discerned in his colour, of which the motleys or piede are 

 the best; whether they be black-and-white, red-and-white, or liver-hued-aud- 

 white; for, to be all of one colour, as all white, or all blacke, or all red, or all 

 liver-hued, without any other spot, is not so comely in the field, although the 

 dogs, notwithstanding, may be of excellent cunning. 



"His mettall is discerned in his free and untired laboursome ranging, 

 beating a field over and over, and not leaving a furrow untrodden, or one 



