THE YARIOUS KINDS OF DOGS. 2^ 



PART 11. 



THE DOG, AND HIS MANAGEMENT* 



CHAPTER III. 



ON THE VARIOUS KINDS OP DOGS USED POB, SHOOTING PURPOSES. 



The dog is an important element in the sportsman's art • and how- 

 ever well equipped he may be in gun, and powder, and shot, his 

 success in the moors or in the fields would be very limited indeed, 

 were he deprived of his canine assistants. 



The use of dogs for game purposes is of very ancient date ; as 

 ancient, indeed, as to run into the fabulous ages of the human 

 family. But the employment of them, in conjunction mth the use 

 of fire-arms, is of comparative modern origin ; and to this use of 

 them we purpose confining our observations. 



The Setter {Canis Index, Linn.) is a species of the dog known and 

 used for tracing and marking game from the early section of the 

 sixteenth century. We are told, that Robert Dudley, Duke of 

 Northumberland, as early as 1555, had succeeded in training a 

 , setter to the net. The chief varieties of the setter are the English 

 and the Irish. ^ The Enghsh dog_ does not materially differ from 

 the pointer in size, but his make is more loose and attenuated, and 

 his quickness and rapidity of motion is greater. The setter is fleet, 

 and enduring, and sagacious, docile, and of warm personal attach- 

 ments. Mr. Bell, in his history of British Quadrupeds, says of the 

 setter : — " By far the most interesting, and, if I may so employ the 

 term, amiable animal I have ever known, was a bitch of this kiud, 

 formerly belonging to my father, whicn he had from a puppy, and 

 which, although never regularly broke, was the best dog in the 

 field he ever ]^ossessed. ^ The very expression of poor Juno's coun- 

 tenance was lull of sensibiHty and affection. She appeared to be 

 always on the watch to evince her love and gratitude to those who 

 were kind to her ; and the instinct of attachment was in her so 

 powerful, that it showed itself in her conduct to other animals, as 

 well as to her human friends." 



The English setter may be met with of almost aU colours. But 

 many sportsmen entertain a particular fancy for dogs of a certaia 



