THE POINTER. 105 



tation from one of the works of Mr. Tolfrey, author of 

 " The Sportsman in France," "The Sportsman in Ireland 

 and Scotland," and "The Sportsman in Canada," is given, 

 it being his recipe for making a strain of Setters: 



The preliminary step, is to put a fine-bred and unexceptionable Pointer 

 bitch to a noted Foxhound ; you will then have laid the foundation of three 

 essential qualities speed, nose, and courage. Docility and sagacity are also 

 requisites, and to obtain them, cross the offspring with the small and slender 

 race of Newfoundland dog. The produce will be as near perfection as 

 possible; they will take to the water, retrieve, and for general shooting will 

 be found the very best and most useful animal the sportsman can desire. 



The writer does not believe that many breeders were 

 induced to follow the absurd process recommended by Mr. 

 Tolfrey, but simply presents that gentleman's views as 

 showing the tendency of the time to cross and recross in 

 order to bring the Setter up to a certain standard. 



In the light of all this authentic history, it is difficult to 

 arrive at any other conclusion than that the modern Setter 

 and Pointer are both the results of judicious selection, 

 breeding, and crossing the Pointer, as will be seen later, 

 bearing the same relation to the old Spanish Pointer, here- 

 inafter described, as the Setter does to the original Setting 

 Spaniel. Without doubt, other dashes of alien blood have 

 been infused into certain strains of each variety, and certain 

 strains may be stronger in Spaniel and Spanish blood than 

 others; but the fact remains the same, that both of these 

 valuable varieties of dogs have been built up by scientific 

 crossing. This being the case, it is neither necessary nor 

 important to inquire into the antiquity of the respective 

 ancestors of each. Neither can with certainty be accorded 

 precedence in point of age. 



The present dog, of either variety, breeds true to type, 

 reproduces himself in form, color, qualities, and intellect- 

 ual traits, and is none the less valuable, in the opinion of 

 the writer, because certain judicious drafts have been made 

 on other families of dogs to improve his natural qualities, 

 and the better to adapt him to the uses for which he is 

 intended. 



