THE COCKING SPANIEL. 



200 



strain of this blood, which I can earnestly recommend 

 from my own knowledge and experience. 



The three varieties of spaniel principally used in pur- 

 suit of game are the " cocker," the " springer," and the 

 ' : Clumber spaniel," which is, on the whole, the best in 

 all respects as a sporting animal. 



The cocker, a likeness of which, adapted from a mag- 

 nificent engraving by Ansdell, is prefixed to this paper, is 

 the smallest of the three varieties. 



He is seldom above twenty pounds in weight, has a short 

 blunt nose, an excedingly full, soft, liquid eye, and bears a 

 strong resemblance to the King Charles, and Blenheim 

 breeds, with both of which he is, probably, more or less 

 connected. His color is usually dark orange and white, 

 or lemon and white ; sometimes black, white, and tan, or 

 plain black and white, and yet more rarely black and tan. 

 This last color is ascribed by Mr. Youatt to an admixture 

 of terrier blood ; but I think incorrectly. I would attri- 

 bute it wholly to the King Charles blood, with which the 

 cocker shows much connection, and the most when he is 

 of this color. The snub nose and large soft melting eye 

 of the cocking spaniel is as remote as possible from the 

 elongated, sharp muzzle, and keen quick visual organs of 

 the terrier. 



" These dogs," says Stonehenge, " have very delicate 

 noses, and work well in covert for a short time, but are soon 

 knocked up, and cannot compete in endurance with either 

 the springer, or the old English spaniel." 



They are the liveliest, the prettiest, and the most active 

 of the whole family. 



