Liver-coloured Retrievers. 169 



than below the medium size and are strong compact dogs. As a rule, 

 they are exceedingly intelligent and tractable, capaple of being trained 

 to almost anything, both in the way of tricks and with the gun. In 

 temperament they are lively and cheerful, making excellent companions ; 

 and it is very rarely that they are found sulky or vicious. When only 

 half -trained they are apt to be headstrong and impetuous, and, though 

 naturally with a strong retrieving instinct, are often a little inclined 

 to be hard-mouthed. This defect can be traced to two causes. It may 

 be the rusult of injudicious breeding from hard-mouthed parents, or it 

 may arise from careless or slovenly handling in their young days. 

 However, when they are wanted almost exclusively for wildfowl 

 shooting, this failing is not of so much moment, for they will be 

 principally used for retrieving birds that fall in the water, and, as fowl 

 are for the most part very tough birds, the rough grip as a dog seizes a 

 duck will not cause much mischief, and while swimming the most 

 inveterate " biter " will seldom give his birds a second nip. For wild- 

 fowl shooting they are admirable. Their resolute nature renders them 

 most determined in hunting coots, moor-hen and half -fowl, as the gunners 

 call many of the smaller members of the anas tribe, for which their too 

 limited knowledge of natural history cannot supply a name. When 

 accustomed to sea-shore shooting they will face a rough sea well, and 

 they are strong swimmers, persevering, and not easily daunted in their 

 search for a dead or wounded fowl." 



CHAPTER XXXV. LIVER-COLOURED 

 RETRIEVERS. 



BY CORSINCON. 



THESE also are smooth, or wavy and curly-coated. Of the former I 

 have not seen a good specimen exhibited for a considerable time, the 

 few I have seen being coarse, and apparently half bred spaniels. Several 

 good specimens of curly coated ones have at different times appeared 



