THE VAMOTJS KINDS OP DOGS. 31 



\vitliOut weariness, bis search without changeableness, and yet that 

 no delight nor desire transport him beyond fear or obedience ; for 

 it is the perfectest character of the most perfect spaniel ever to be 

 fearful and loving- to him that is his master and keeper. I confess 

 I have seen excellent rare setting dogs made in the Low Countries, 

 which have been of a bastard tumbler's kind, and indeed I have found 

 in them (if I may so term it) a greater wisdom (v/hich, indeed, is but 

 a greater fear) than in our land-spaniels ; but, comparing the whole 

 work together, that is, the labour of ranging, the scent in finding, 

 and the act of setting, they have been much inferior to our dogs, 

 and not able to make their ways in the sharp thickets and trouble- 

 some covers, nor stand up with them in the large and spacious 

 campaigns. To speak then, in a word, touching the best choice pi 

 this setting dog, let him be as near as you can the best bred spanid 

 that you can procure ; and_ though some have been curious in. 

 observing their colours, as giving pre-eminence to the motley, the 

 liver-head, or the white or black spotted ; yet, questionless, it 

 is but a vain cmdosity, for no colour is amiss for this purpose, pro- 

 vided the natm-al qualities be perfect, and answerable for the work 

 to which end you intend them." 



The Fointer {Canis Avicularis, Linn.) is a sporting dog of various 

 kinds, the English, Spanish, Russian, and Erench breeds. His 

 origin is imcertain, but he is supposed to be of a mixed breed, 

 something between the hound and spaniel. The Erench pointer is 

 esteemed for his beauty, but he is considered too insignificant for 

 the sportsman's art in this country. The Spanish_ breed is heavy 

 and grave, though of good enduring qualities. Pointers have not 

 been very long known in Great Britain ; but since attention has 

 been paid to them here they have multiplied prodigiously, not only 

 in the parent country, but in all her colonial and foreign posses- 

 sions. The pointer is not considered so handsome in make nor so 

 engaging in manners as the setter ; but his memory is more reten- 

 tive, and, according to some writers, he has the faculty of trans- 

 mitting to his posterity the sporting qualities of his own nature, 

 ^here are some remarkable stories told of this kind of dog—stories 

 -to which we can scarcely give any credit. There is a standing one 

 related in most books on sporting, which we shall transcribe, rather 

 for fasliion's sake than for any other motive ; but it is supported by 

 unquestionable authorities, if authority in such cases is to go for 

 anything. The French academicians make mention of a dog of 

 Germany which could call in an intelligible manner for tea, coffee, 

 chocolate, &c. The accoimt was gained fi-om an eye-witness, who 

 was no less a person than the celebrated Leibnitz, who communi- 

 cated it to the iloyal Academy of Erance. This dog was of a mid- 

 'dlmg''9ft"e, -;.nd was the property of a peasant in Saxony. A little 

 boy, the peasant's son, unagined he perceived in the dog's voice an 

 indistinct resemblance to certain words, and therefore took it into 

 his head to teach him to speak. Eor this purpose he spared 

 neither time nor pains with his pupil, who was about three years 



