THE SETTER. 173 



streaked, spotted and speckled, with all these tints two by 

 two, and sometimes three by three ; as black and white, 

 with tan spots about the eyes and muzzle, and tan feet. 

 The ears are generally long and pendulous, and are the 

 most curly part of the body. The legs, belly, and stern 

 are deeply flewed or feathered with a long fringe of soft, 

 silky hair, and the feet are protected with tufts about the 

 ancles and between the toes, which afford much defence to 

 these delicate portions of the body. 



Of this family, the setter of pure English blood is the 

 largest variety, perhaps improved by culture I say, per- 

 haps, for I do not find any real reason for believing that 

 it has been enlarged in the process of time, and there is 

 certainly less distinction between it and some of the large 

 varieties of what are called true spaniels, and which are 

 in appearance pony-built setters, than between some of 

 those varieties themselves, as the clumber breed and the 

 King Charles. 



The only permanent structural distinction if it can be 

 called so, is the size of the ear, which is smaller, and looks 

 as if it had been rounded by art. This peculiarity is, 

 however, shared by the Newfoundland dog, who is admit- 

 ted to be spaniel. 



The coat also is somewhat coarser, though still in the 

 best families excessively soft, silky, and beautiful, and 

 waves rather than curls as in the proper smaller spaniels. 

 Especially about the ears is this texture of the coat observ- 

 able. Setters, however, differ in this respect, and I have 

 seen dogs, and once owned one and he was, perhaps, the 

 very best I ever did own, a liver and white dog called 



