92 DOMESTICATED DOGS FOE THE GUN". 



The small Danish dog is smaller than the Dalmatian ; but, being 

 spotted in the same wa}^, and characterized by the same fondness 

 for horses, they are generally confounded under the term " Coach 

 Dog." 



SETTERS. 



THE ENGLISH SETTER. — THE BLACK AND TAN OR GORDON SETTER. — THB 

 IRISH SETTER. 



The setter is, without doubt, either descended fi-om the spaniel, 

 or both are oflfshoots from the same parent stock. Originally — 

 that is before the improvements in the gun introduced the practice 

 of " shooting flying," — it is believed that he "was merely a spaniel 

 taught to " stop " or " set" as soon as he came upon the scent of 

 the partridge, when a net was drawn over the covey by two men. 

 Hence he was made to drop close to the ground, an attitude which 

 is now unnecessary ; though it is taught by some breakers, and 

 notably to very fast dogs, who could not otherwise stop themselves 

 quickly enough to avoid flushing. Manifestly, a dog prone on the 

 ground allowed the net to be drawn over him better than if he 

 was standing up ; and hence the former attitude was preferred, an 

 additional reason for its adoption being probably that it was more 

 easily taught to a dog like the spaniel, which has not the natural 

 cataleptic attitude of the pointer. But when "shooting flying'' 

 came into vogue, breakers made the attempt to assimilate the atti- 

 tude of the setting spaniel, or "setter" as he was now called, to 

 that of the pointer; and in process of time, and possibly also by 

 crossing with that dog they succeeded, though, even after the 

 lapse of more than a century, the cataleptic condition is not so 

 fully displayed by the setter as by the pointer. In the present day, 

 as a rule, the standing position is preferred, though some well 

 known breakers, and notably George Thomas, Mr. Statter's keeper, 

 have preferred the " drop," which certainly enables a fast dog to 

 Btop himself more quickly tnan he could do by standkig up. It is. 



