128 THE AMEEICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



(Donald-Lady Bow); Lord Graphic (Graphic-Daphne); 

 Tamarack (Tarn CT Shanter-Croxteth' s Rival Queen); Ban- 

 nerman (Osborne Ale-Keswick); Breezo (unknown). 



Too much can not be said in praise of those enterprising 

 gentlemen who have devoted time and money without stint 

 to the support and encouragement of field contests; and 

 while severe criticisms have been made on the methods 

 often employed at the trials, the rules under which they are 

 run, and the work of the dogs, yet it must be borne in 

 mind that the conditions under which these races are run 

 are of the most trying character. 



It is a contest for supremacy between owners, handlers, 

 and dogs. The latter are thrown among strange competi- 

 tors, oftentimes after being carried hundreds of miles by 

 rail; must work on strange grounds, followed by a crowd; 

 listen to unaccustomed sounds and commands, and work in 

 confusion generally. It is only a wonder that the dogs per- 

 form as well as they do; and it is generally admitted that it 

 takes a good dog to win at these trials in the face of all these 

 difficulties. Many of the successful field-trial winners are 

 afterward used as stud dogs, and produce some excellent 

 descendants for all-around work, which proves their own 

 inherent good qualities. 



If less prominence were given to pace and range, and 

 more to nose, style, and quality of work, stanclmess in 

 pointing, backing, and retrieving, it would redound more to 

 the credit of the field trials, and result in giving us better 

 dogs for general private use throughout the country. 



The tendency now seems to be to adopt more rational 

 and sensible rules in judging the work of the dogs; and a 

 wild, half -trained animal, knowing but little else than how 

 to run fast for a short time, does not now necessarily win 

 the contest. 



Among the most potent sires that have ever been im- 

 ported to this country were Sensation and Croxteth. The 

 former, by Price's Jim ( Whitehouse' s Hamlet-Judy), out 

 of Nell (Old Rap-Miia), was bred by Mr. J. D. Humphries 

 in 1874, and during his life-time won seven prizes in Eng- 



