1 68 British Dogs. 



therefore, became necessary to the fowler of olden times. The old- 

 fashioned pointer, so steady and good after partridges in the long hand- 

 reaped stubbles, failed signally in most instances when the thermometer 

 hung feelingly in the neighbourhood of zero and the beard of the 

 shooter was white with icicles and hoar frost. It was not his trade, and 

 he knew it. A hardier dog was necessary, and one with a rougher coat. 

 The old-fashioned English water-spaniel was undoubtedly good at flush- 

 ing the birds from reed-beds and the like, but for all-round work his 

 impetuosity would be against him. Something more sedate than all 

 spaniel blood was required, and yet the dash and resolution of the genuine 

 spaniel should be retained. By continual crossing frequently accidental 

 and still more frequently injudicious by a strong infusion of Irish water- 

 spaniel blood, with here and there a tinge of the Labrador, the necessary 

 animal was by degrees manufactured. 



" Such is my theory concerning the origin of the Norfolk retriever. Now 

 for a description of the dog. The colour is more often brown than black, 

 and the shade of brown rather light than dark a sort of sandy brown, 

 in fact. Coat curly, of course, and the curls hardly so close and crisp 

 as in the show retriever of the present day, but inclined to be open and 

 woolly. The coat is not long, however, and across the back there is often 

 a saddle of straight short hair. In texture the coat is inclined to be 

 coarse, and it almost invariably looks rusty and feels harsh to the touch. 

 This, however, may in some measure be due to neglect. The head is 

 heavy and wise-looking, the muzzle square and broad ; ears large, and 

 somewhat thickly covered with long curly hair. The limbs stout and 

 strong, with large and well-webbed feet. The tail is usually docked like 

 a spaniel's, but not so short. This seems to be quite a keeper's custom, 

 and probably originated from the fact that, to an inexperienced eye, the 

 tail of a puppy generally appears too long for the dog. However, although 

 docking the tail improves the appearance of a spaniel, in my opinion it 

 completely spoils the symmetry of a retriever. I remember once asking 

 a Norfolk keeper's opinion of a very handsome flat-coated retriever I had. 

 After examining the dog carefully, the man said, ' Well, sir, he would be 

 a rare nice-looking dog if you only cut half-a-yard off his tail.' I need 

 hardly add that I did not act on the suggestion. 



" When white appears on the chest it is more frequently in the form of 

 a spot or patch than a narrow streak. They are usually rather above 



