136 British Dogs. 



believe the first notice of the spaniel by that name in English occurs in 

 " The Maister of Game," by Edmund de Langley. He says, " the houndes 

 for the hawke cometh out of Spayn," and describes him as white and 

 tawny, with large head and body, not too rough in coat and with a 

 feathered tail ; he further describes their general character and action, 

 and their use in the netting of partridge, &c., and also refers to their use 

 in the pursuit and capture of waterfowl. 



The spaniel also occurs in the list of breeds of dogs given by the 

 Sopewell Prioress in the " Book of St. Albin," published 1486, but she 

 gives no description of it. A century later Dr. Johannes Caius, in his 

 book, "English Dogges," says of spaniels, there are two sorts, one 

 "that findeth game on land," and one "that findeth game on the 

 water," and the same distinction is observed by all later writers up 

 to the present century. 



Nicholas Cox, in " The Gentleman's Recreation," published 1677, 

 copying Markham, I believe, describes the land spaniel as " of a good 

 and nimble size, rather small than gross, and of a courageous mettle ; 

 which, though you cannot discern being young, yet you may very well 

 know from a right breed which have been known to be strong, lusty, 

 and nimble rangers, of active feet, wanton tails, and busy nostrils, whose 

 tail was without weariness, their search without changeableness, and 

 whom no delight did transport beyond fear or obedience." 



Spaniels were in olden times also known by the name of the game 

 they were kept to, as " a dog for the partridge," " a dog for the duck,' ' 

 " a dog for the pheasant," as in our own day we still have the cocker, or 

 dog for the woodcock; but at what date the term "springer" or 

 " springing spaniel " was introduced I do not know, but presume it must 

 have been when the qualities of the setter or " setting spaniel " became 

 fully developed and permanently fixed by breeding setters -from known 

 setting spaniels only, and keeping the breed of questing spaniels 

 distinct ; the term springer was probably given to them on account of 

 their natural disposition to rush in and flush or spring their game. 



In the "Sportsman's Cabinet," 1802-3, spaniels are treated by "A 

 Veteran Sportsman ' ' under three divisions the springing spaniel ; the 

 cocker spaniel, in which latter class he includes the Duke of Marl- 

 borough's Blenheims, now only recognised as toys ; and water spaniels. 

 The springers are described as differing but little from the setter of that 



