116 DOMESTICATED DOGS FOR THE GUN. 



hunting he keeps his tail down, like the rest of his kind, and 

 works it constantly in a most rapid and merry way, from which 

 alone he may be known from the springer, who also works his, 

 but solemnly and deliberately, and apparently without the same 

 pleasurable sensations which are displayed by the cocker. The 

 head is round and tlie forehead raised ; muzzle more pointed than 

 tlic springer, and the ear less heavy, but of good length, and well 

 clothed with soft wavy hair, which should not be matted in a 

 heavy mass. The eye is of medium size, slightly inclined to water, 

 but not to weep like the toy dog's; body of medium length, and 

 the shape generally resembling that of a small setter. It has long 

 been the custom to crop the tail nearly half off, so as to prevent 

 the constant wearing of it against the bushes, as the dog works 

 his way through them. If left on, it is nearly as long in propor- 

 tion as that of the setter, but more bushy, and not so closely re- 

 sembling a fan. These dogs are well feathered, and the work for 

 their feet and legs requires them to be strong and well formed. 

 The coat should be thick and wavy, but not absolutely curled, 

 which last shows the cross with the water spaniel, and that gives 

 too much obstinacy with it to conduce to success in covert shoot- 

 ing. The color varies from a plain liver or black to black and tan, 

 white and black, white and liver, white and red, or white and 

 lemon ; and different breeds are noted as possessing some one of 

 these in particular, but I am not aware that any one is remarkable 

 as belonging to a superior race. 



The title " cocker" includes every kind of field spaniel except the 

 Sussex and Clumber, and it is therefore necessary to allude to the 

 Norfolk Spaniel as well as to the Welsh and Devon Cocker. The 

 Norfolk spaniel is still to be found scattered throughout the coun- 

 try, and is generally of a liver and white color, sometimes black 

 and white, and rarely lemon and white; usually a good deal 

 ticked with color in the white. Higher on the leg than the 

 Clumber or the Sussex, he is generally more active than either, 

 sometimes almost rivalling the setter in lightness of frame; his 

 ears are long, lobular and heavily feathered, and he is a very use- 

 ful dog when thoroughly broken, but he is apt to be too wild in 



