26 THE AMERICAN HUNTING DOG 



ters, bred to the fixed type of the animal, then the 

 present bench-show winners are not setters ! The 

 sportsman of to-day will bear in mind that for our 

 widespread quail covers we need a dog of the 

 Llewellin type, bred for generations for fast wide- 

 ranging work; for grouse and all close covert 

 work the English or Laverack setter will give him 

 better satisfaction as he is closer to English fore- 

 bears used to that kind of shooting. 



The history of the pointer starts with firearms 

 used for fowling, the type having been begun as a 

 breed about 1650. Early prints and paintings of 

 the date of 1530 show a smooth-haired houndy dog 

 on point at ducks and birds with one forepaw 

 raised, while the hunters creep up on the birds 

 with matchlocks. These birds were shot sitting, 

 the dogs being used to find the birds and point 

 them, and this was undoubtedly the original 

 pointer. In 1711 the poet Gay wrote : 



''See how the iv ell-taught pointer leads the way, 

 The scent grows warm; he stops; he springs the 



prey; 

 The fluttering coveys from the stubble rise 

 And on sivift wing divides the sounding shies; 

 The scattering lead pursues the certain sight 

 And death in thunder overtakes their flight." 



