CHAPTER XXVIII 

 THE SPANIELS 



IN considering the following descriptions of the principal varieties 

 among British Spaniels, it must be borne in mind that, with the 

 possible exception of the Clumber, they are all ramifications from 

 the same stem. So close, indeed, is the kinship between them 

 that they can be interbred with advantage to preserve vigour of 

 constitution without jeopardizing the various types. An illustration 

 of this is the crossing of the English with the Welsh Springer : 

 those puppies that are liver-and-white or black-and-white follow the 

 shape of the English breed, while the red-and-whites present the 

 undiminished type of the Welsh dog. 



The same phenomenon has been noticed among Setters. In the 

 same litter the blue-mottled pups will be found of one type, roughly 

 resembling that of the English Springer, while the shorter-eared 

 orange-and-whites have more affinity with his Cambrian cousin. 

 This seems to confirm the notion of Elaine (1839) that the red- 

 and-white Setters and Springers were originally distinct from the 

 Spaniels of other colours, though themselves, of course, from the 

 same stock. 



There are several sub-varieties of the great Spaniel family that 

 are not described in these pages, because, though capable of culture, 

 they are at present too restricted in numbers, and not sufficiently 

 defined, to merit special classification. 



THE CLUMBER 



The Clumber is the aristocrat of the Spaniel family : in comparison 

 with him his modern Black brother of the benches is a mere 

 upstart, and the Irish Water Spaniel as an unkempt kerne to a 

 polished gentleman. The Sussex cannot compare with him in 

 dignity of demeanour ; and the busy little Cocker, taking though 

 he be, is commonplace by the side of the Clumber, whose manners, 

 solemn and deliberate, are stamped with that repose which the 

 least imaginative may easily conceive to rest on the consciousness 

 of noble lineage. 



How the variety of Spaniel under consideration came into being 



