Spaniels. 



day, except in size, being about two-fifths less ; the engravings given in 

 illustration from drawings by Renaigle do not, however, bear this state- 

 ment out, the setter's muzzle being truncated and the flews deep, as though 

 crossed with the Spanish pointer ; while the springer, although shown 

 with open mouth, is evidently comparatively pointed in muzzle, and also 

 shorter in the back, and, indeed, very much more like the compara- 

 tively leggy but compact, active, merry-looking dogs still seen in numbers 

 throughout the country, and turning up in plenty at some West of Eng- 

 land shows, than the very long-backed and excessively long heads and 

 muzzles of the black field spaniel of the show-bench . 



I do not wish to be understood as objecting to the black spaniel : his 

 beauty is undeniable, and the colour is no innovation, black having 

 always been recognised ; and black and tan is also mentioned by old 

 writers, but I say that in length of body and stamp of head they are a 

 departure from the old type, and for working qualities a depar- 

 ture in a wrong direction. If we take our present illustration of Mr. 

 Holmes' Flirt, it must be admitted she does not look like a dog suited 

 for a day's hard work in a rough country, although she may do to potter 

 about the outside of a hedge, or put up a rabbit in turnips, and Flirt 

 is a good representative of the most fashionable and winning strain, 

 and shown with great truthfulness by Mr. Wood, the artist, in our 

 engraving. 



What we want is a dog, more compact, with shorter and stronger 

 muscles coupling the back ribs and hind quarters ; and if the present 

 fashion is to be maintained the prejudice in favour of black colour, long 

 backs, and setter-like heads I plead for two classes at all shows, if their 

 purpose is to improve the various breeds of dogs for sporting purposes. 

 One class for other than self-coloured dogs, representing the old springer 

 most generally diffused throughout the country, and weighing over, say, 

 251b., and a corresponding class for cockers weighing from 181b. to 251b., 

 and I think it would not be difficult for sportsmen to agree as to a stan- 

 dard of points by which they should be judged. 



The spaniel is not only the oldest breed we have that has been kept to 

 the hunting of fur and feather, as a help to hawking, netting, and the 

 gun, but he is still the most generally useful of our game dogs, as he is 

 the most universal favourite ; in field or covert no dog works so close as 

 a well-bred and well-broken spaniel ; neither fur nor feather can escape 



