704 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY. 



and again seized him by the throat. The stag was soon after 

 taken out of the pool dead." 



We think it very probable that the Irish greyhound is 

 only a variety of the same stock as the Highland greyhound. 

 The former has much smoother hair than the Scottish breed. 



SECTION II.— DOGS USED IN SHOOTING. 



THE ENGLISH POINTER. 



The Spanish pointer is the stock from which our English 

 pointer was derived. He is much lighter in form, and 

 much more rapid in his movements. He was originally 

 produced by a cross of the Spanish pointer and the fox- 

 hound, and afterwards re-crossed with the harrier. He is 

 now to be met with of a variety of sizes ; but it has been 

 found that when pointers are too large, they are far less 

 active than those which are smaller ; but in this particular 

 there is a variety of tastes. 



The pointer is possessed of a beautiful symmetry of frame ; 

 and in this respect is perhaps the most proportionably 

 formed of all the canine race. His docility and pliability of 

 temper are truly astonishing. He enjoys the sense of smell- 

 ing in an exquisite degree. 



In proportion as the breed of pointers diverge in blood 

 from their Spanish progenitor, the difficulty of training them 

 is experienced, and also that steadiness of the original, which 

 renders them stanch for the field. 



Pointers are never considered complete in training unless 

 they are perfectly stanch to bird, dog, and gun ; which im- 

 plies, /r5i5, standing singly to a bird or covey ; secondly, to 

 backing or pointing the moment he perceives another dog to 

 stand at game ; and thirdly, not to stir from his own point 

 at the rising of any bird, or the firing of any gun in the 



