THE SrANIEL. 53 



of these various breeds. One of the short-tailed breed 

 I sold to a friend for fifty pounds. His name was Pluto ; 

 he was liver-coloured and particularly well-made, had 

 a fine nose, and was as steady as time. When we drove 

 a covey into a clover, potatoe, or turnip field, the other 

 dogs were taken up, and great havoc was generally made 

 amongst the birds by Pluto's dexterous skill in finding 

 the single birds. Some gentlemen shoot with pointers 

 in cover, but I prefer a brace or two of Avell-broke 

 spaniels, with a retriever. A friend of mine, an old 

 sportsman, always shot in woods \vith pointers with bells 

 of different tones on their necks, by which he was able 

 to ascertain which of his dogs stood. He was a firstrate 

 shot, and by this mode bagged a great deal of game. 

 Although I generally shot in cover with spaniels, yet 

 when the pheasants were to be found in turnip fields, 

 hedge-rows, and very low cover, I took with me a brace 

 of pointers. 



Of spaniels there are many species, some of which 

 derive their names even from kings, and other noble 

 sportsmen. Those known as King Charles's are 

 particularly handsome dogs; their colour black, ears 

 very long, tan-mark over each eye, and the roof of the 

 mouth a dark colour. In strength they are scarcely 

 equal to a strong cover. The Blenheim spaniel is a 

 small red and white dog, with an intelligent countenance, 

 and large dark eyes. I beheve I have already remarked 

 that the great-grandfather of the present Duke of Marl- 

 b(«-ough shot at Blenheim with these spaniels, and had 

 sometimes as many as five or six brace of these dogs, all 

 thoroughly trained. These handsome little dogs have 

 particularly fine noses as regards scent, and are well cal- 

 culated for beating plantations where the cover at the 

 bottom is not strono;. 



