CHAPTER XXIII 



THE P.OINTER 



THE man who shoots over dogs comes more closely 

 in touch with nature than the battue shooter. To 

 him much of the pleasure of the sport is derived 

 from seeing the way in which his Pointer or Setter 

 works, and he certainly has far greater opportunities 

 of studying the habits of game. The subject of this 

 sketch was probably imported originally into this 

 country from Spain some two centuries ago, and 

 being of a heavy build, was bred to the more racily- 

 built French dog. At one time it was commonly 

 believed that the Pointer owed his being very largely 

 to a considerable infusion of Foxhound blood, but 

 it is doubtful if such a cross was tried before the 

 end of the eighteenth century, when a Colonel 

 Thornton of that time made the experiment, which 

 has since been condemned. As we now know him, 

 he is most admirably adapted to his work. He has 

 great pace, for a potterer will not be tolerated, 

 and of course his stamina must be of the very best 

 to enable him to stay through a long day in the 

 field or on the moors. It is quite possible that with 

 increased speed some of his fine scenting capacity 

 may have been sacrificed. The two qualities scarcely 



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