THE POINTER. 107 



market. This valuable acquisition from the Continent was wholly unknown 

 to our ancestors, together with the art of shooting flying; but so fond are we 

 become of this most elegant of field sports, that we now excel all others in the 

 use of the gun, and in the breeding and training of the dog. 



The Spanish Pointer possesses, in a high degree, the sense of scenting, 

 so that he very rarely or never goes by his game when in pursuit of it ; requires 

 very little training to make him stanch most of them standing the first time 

 they meet with game; and it is no uncommon occurrence for puppies of three 

 months old to stand at poultry, rabbits, and even cats. But as they grow old 

 they are apt to get idle, and often go over their ground on a trot, instead of 

 galloping; and from their loose make and slowness of foot, w T hen hunted a 

 few seasons, soon tire, have recourse to cunning, and in company let the 

 younger and fleeter dogs beat wide the fields, whilst they do little more than 

 back them, or else make false points. They then become useless but for hunt- 

 ing, singly, with a sportsman who is not able or not inclined to follow the 

 faster dogs. 



There are other varieties of the Pointer, as the Russian, in size and form 

 like the Spanish; coat not unlike a drover's dog, rough and shaggy, rough 

 about the eyes, and bearded; color like the Spanish, but often grizzle-and- 

 white; they differ in coat, some being more rough than others. This is probably 

 a cross between the Spanish Pointer and the Barbet, or rough water dog. He has 

 an excellent nose, is sagacious, tractable, and easily made stanch; endures 

 fatigue tolerably well, takes water readily, and is' not incommoded by the most 

 cold and wet weather. 



To this description of the Spanish Pointer, by an early 

 authority, may be added that of Mr. Taplin, at the opening 

 of the present century : 



Every fact upon record respecting their appearance in England is that 

 they were, in very early ages, introduced from Spain, and that they were 

 natives of that country from which their name was derived. . . . The 

 Pointer of this description is short in the head, broad in the forehead, 

 wide in the nose, expansive in the nostrils, simply solicitous in aspect, heavy 

 in the shoulders, short in the legs, almost circular in the form of the car- 

 cass, square upon the back, strong across the loins, and remarkably so in the 

 hind quarters. Although this breed, like the English Pointer (by the many 

 collateral aids so much improved), are produced of various colors, yet the 



bold brown, liver-and-white, are the most predominant The 



Pointer we are now treating of, though exceedingly slow, must be generally 

 admitted to be sure; indefatigable and minute in his researches, he is rarely 

 seen to miss his game when game is to be found. When a covey of birds is 

 separated, by repeated shots, and are afterward found singly, the Pointer 

 under description has opportunity to display his best ability in most indus- 

 triously recovering these scattered birds, the major part of which (if accom- 

 panied by a good shot) are generally picked up to a certainty. To the 

 recovery of winged birds, the patient perseverance of this dog is peculiarly 



