Irish Water Spaniel 279 



two or three inches beyond. The whole of the ears are thickly covered 

 with curls, which gradually lengthen toward the tips. 



Chest and Shoulders (value 7^). There is nothing remarkable about 

 these points, which must, nevertheless, be of sufficient dimensions and 

 muscularity. The chest is small compared with most breeds of similar 

 substance. 



Back and Quarters (value 7^). Also have no peculiarity, but the 

 stifles are almost always straight, giving an appearance of legginess. 



Legs and Feet (value 10). The legs should be straight, and the feet 

 large but strong; the toes are somewhat open and covered with short crisp 

 curls. In all dogs of this breed the legs are thickly clothed with short 

 curls, slightly pendent behind and at the sides, and some have them all 

 round, hanging in ringlets for some time before the annual shedding. 

 No feather like that of the setter should be shown. The front of the hind 

 legs below the hocks is always bare. 



Tail (value 10). Is very thick at the root, where it is clothed with 

 very short hair. Beyond the root, however, the hair is perfectly short, 

 so as to look as if the tail had been clipped, which it sometimes fraudulently 

 is at shows, but the natural bareness of the tail is a true characteristic of the 

 breed. 



Coat (value 10). Is composed of short curls of hair, not woolly, 

 which betrays the poodle cross. A soft, flossy coat is objected to as indica- 

 tive of an admixture with some of the land spaniels. 



Colour (value 10). Must be a deep pure liver without white; but, as 

 in other breeds, a white toe will occasionally appear with the best-bred 

 litter. 



Symmetry (value 5) of this dog is not very great. 



SCALE OF POINTS 



Head 10 Legs and Feet 10 



Face and Eyes 10 Tail 10 



Topknot 10 Coat 10 



Ears 10 Colour 10 



Chest and Shoulders 7^ Symmetry 5 



Back and Quarters 7$ 



Total 100 



