232 The Dog Book 



"Legs and Feet. The arms and thighs must be bony as well as muscu- 

 lar, knees and hocks large and strong, pasterns very short and bony, feet 

 large and round, and with short hair between the toes. The legs should 

 be very short and strong, with great bone, and may show a slight bend in 

 the forearm, and be moderately well feathered. The hind legs should not 

 apparently be shorter than the forelegs, or be too much bent at the hocks, 

 so as to give a settery appearance, which is so objectionable. The hind 

 legs should be well feathered above the hocks, but should not have much 

 hair below that point. The hocks should be short and wide apart. [The 

 hock is the joint itself and cannot be short. What is meant is that from 

 the hock to the ground should be short, or that the hind pasterns should be 

 short. ED.] 



"Tail. Should be docked from five to seven inches, set low, and not 

 carried above the level of the back, thickly covered with moderately long 

 feather. 



" Coat. Body coat abundant, flat or slightly waved, with no tendency 

 to curl, moderately well feathered on legs and stern, but clean below 

 the hocks. 



"Colour. Rich golden liver; this is a certain sign of the purity of the 

 breed, dark liver or puce denoting unmistakably a recent cross with the 

 black or other variety of field spaniel. 



"General Appearance. Rather massive and muscular, but with free 

 movements and nice tail action, denoting a cheerful and tractable dispo- 

 sition. Weight from thirty-five pounds to forty-five pounds." 



