302 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



All authorities agree that the Spaniel came originally 

 from Spain, but it is generally admitted that none exist as 

 imported, without alteration by mixture with allied varie- 

 ties. It is generally agreed that the English Setter sprung 

 from the Land Spaniel, and very likely the dogs referred 

 to by Youatt were in greater part, if not all, Water Spaniels. 

 From the earliest times, the English Water Spaniel is de- 

 scribed as differing from the Land Spaniel. Edmond De 

 Langley, in the k 'Maister of Game," writes of the Land 

 Spaniel, ' ' White and tawny in color, and not rough- coated;' ' 

 whereas nearly all other writers describe the Water Spaniel 

 as rough and curly coated, but not shaggy. All the earlier 

 writers speak of a large and a small Water Spaniel, and I 

 can easily conceive that two sizes would naturally result 

 from the requirements of sportsmen living in different 

 localities. The bay or sea shooter requires a larger and 

 more powerful dog than the inland sportsman, whose 

 shooting is confined to the smaller lakes and streams, 

 where a dog weighing from twenty-five to forty pounds 

 can work the willows, reeds, and rice to much better 

 advantage than a larger animal, and is more easily carried 

 and concealed. 



I have found the English Water Spaniel extremely intelli- 

 gent, particularly fond of the water, which he will enter by 

 choice in all weathers. His powers of swimming and diving 

 are immense; he works through mud, rice, and weeds seem- 

 ingly with as much ease as on land, while his keen nose 

 enables him to scent the dead or wounded duck at marvel- 

 ously long distances. He will work out the hiding-place 

 of a wounded bird with a perseverance and intelligence 

 that can only be born of a genuine love of the sport. He 

 requires little if any training, and seems to have inherent 

 a desire to please his master as well as to gratify his own 

 love of the sport. He will frequently mark the approach 

 of the wild fowl before the hunter sees it; will crouch down 

 till he hears the report of the gun, when he is all anima- 

 tion to mark the fall of the dead or wounded duck. He is 

 of a much handsomer appearance than either the Irish or 



