54 EEMINISCENCES OF A SrOETSMAN. 



This breed of spaniels is now become rare, and where 

 the covers answer the above description, when able to 

 procure the breed, gentlemen frequently make use of 

 them. A spaniel known as the Clumber breed — so named 

 from the Duke of Newcastle's seat, his Grace always 

 shooting with them in his woods — are much sought after 

 b_y sportsmen. This spaniel is red and white, is larger than 

 the usual spaniel, strong made, an intelligent counten- 

 ance, dark eyes, and the ears not very long. These dogs 

 have excellent noses, and disf)lay great spirit in beating 

 strong covers, and after having been shot to, two or three 

 seasons, become very valuable for pheasant and cock 

 shooting. They are natm-ally ill-tempered, and rarely 

 form any attachment but to their master or gamekeeper. 

 I had one of this breed, which I gave to a relative : 

 I brought him up from a puppy, he was much 

 attached to me, and was a twelvemonth old when I 

 parted with him. He recollected me for a year after- 

 wards, and was still very caressing, but the second year 

 he had quite forgotten me, and growled when I went to 

 pat him. My friend told me he was the best dog among 

 his spaniels. He had the shooting over a thousand 

 acres of woodland, the greater part of which was par- 

 ticularly strong, from black thorn, high sedges, and long 

 grass. In Sussex, where they have numerous and ex- 

 tensive strong covers, they have a very good breed of 

 dark brown spaniels, compact and well made, their legs 

 rather short and strong. They are distinguished by 

 the name of the Sussex spaniel, and are especially 

 adapted to shooting in the thick covers of this county. 



Independently of the above breeds of spaniels, there 

 is a great variety of this sj)ecies, which, when properly 

 broke, possess all the qualities essential for cover shoot- 

 ing. Dash was a black si^aniel I shot to for several 



