THE SPANIELS 321 



little red-and-whites by a standard differing slightly from that of 

 their English rivals. 



In America (Massachusetts) they must also have some purely 

 bred Cockers, full of quality, judging from a photograph of a group 

 of eleven that the writer saw recently, and he was very much 

 interested to read in the description of these that the Americans 

 have detected, and dread as much as we do, the Beagle cross in 

 the Cocker. 



Nothing can be more fatal than this taint both to true Spaniel 

 work and to true Spaniel beauty : it should be eradicated at any 

 cost. In the appearance, as a rule, it may be recognised by 

 the thin feather of the fore leg not being continued to the heel, 

 by smoothness below the hock, by the round cat-foot, by the gaily 

 carried tail, and by a " beagley " shape of head and eye. At work, 

 of course, it can be readily detected, but then it is sometimes an 

 inconveniently late discovery ! 



Here is the description of the Cocker Spaniel, published by 

 the Sporting Spaniel Society: 



Skull. Fairly long, having full temples and the forehead raised. 



Jaws. Of medium length and rather pointed, without too much lip ; the 

 nostrils well developed. 



Eyes. Rather dark and mild, must not be sunken nor show haw. 



Ears. Medium sized, broad rather than long, set on low, and thickly but 

 not cumbrously coated with hair. 



Neck. Long, clean, arched, and muscular. 



Shoulders. Long, fine, and sloping. 



Fore Legs. Straight, substantial, oval in bone, and about as long as an 

 old-fashioned Fox-terrier. The bone not at all clumsy, the pasterns rather 

 long and springy, not too much feather. 



Body. Well developed, but not too wide in rib, well let down in chest. 



Loin. Muscular and slightly arched. 



Hindquarters. Very strong, with well-bent stifles (neither turned in nor 

 out), the hocks near the ground. 



Feet. Thickly padded, with arched toes of a fair length. 



Stern. Set on with an inclination downwards, and perpetually vibrating with 

 a restless, quivering movement peculiar to this breed. 



Coat. Smooth or slightly wavy, very dense but not very long. 



Colour. Black, black-and-tan, liver, lemon, or red, conjointly with white or as 

 self colours. A mixture of white, however, is desirable, as being more easily 

 seen by the shooters in cover. The correct shade for the eyes varies according 

 to the colour of the coat. 



THE IRISH WATER SPANIEL 



Probably no one has ever ventured to call the subject of this 

 article handsome. For this lack of praise those who have been 

 most prominent as exhibitors of Irish Spaniels are chiefly responsible, 

 for it has till lately been a constant practice to show them with 

 portions of the previous season's coat sticking in uncarded locks 

 among the new hair, which has given the dog somewhat the 



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