EN'OLisu pointee] FOR MOUNTAIN, FIELD, AND FARM. 



[POINTSKS. 



pointers, in thoir break iiiLj lessons, to the Held. 

 Bo that as it may, it turned out, to the sur- 

 prise and stratification of the intelligent keeper, 

 that within a fortnight from her first entrt^e, 

 she would hunt and point partridges or rab- 

 bits ; and her training being much forwarded 

 bv the abundance of both, which were near 

 the keeper's lodge, she daily improved, and, in 

 a few weeks, would retrieve birds that had run 

 as well as the best pointer ; nay, her nose was 

 superior to any pointer they ever possessed, 

 and no two men in England had better. They 

 bunted her principally on the moors and heaths. 

 Slut has stood partridges, black-game, phea- 

 sants, snipes, and rabbits in the same way, but 

 was never known to point a hare. She was 

 seldom taken by choice more than a mile or 

 two from the lodge, but as frequently joined 

 them when out with their pointers, and con- 

 tinued with them several hours. She has 

 sometimes stood a jack-snipe, when all the 

 pointers have passed by it. She would back 

 the dogs wlien they pointed, but the dogs re- 

 fused to back her until spoken to — Toomer's 

 dogs being all trained to make a general halt 

 when the word was given, whetlier any dog 

 pointed or not ; so that she has been frequently 

 standing in the midst of a field of pointers. 

 In consequence of the dogs being not much 

 inclined to hunt when she was with them — for 

 they dropped their sterns and showed symp- 

 toms of jealousy — she did not very often ac- 

 company them, except for the novelty; or 

 when she accidentally joined them in the 

 forest. Her pace was mostly a trot ; she was 

 seldom known to gallop, except when called to 

 go out shooting ; she would then come home 

 off the forest at full stretch — for she was never 

 shut up, except to prevent her being out of 

 the sound of the call or whistle when a party 

 of gentlemen had appointed to see her out the 

 next day, and which call she obeyed as readily 

 as a dog — and be as much elated as a dog upon 

 being shown the gun. She always expressed 

 great pleasure when game, either dead or alive, 

 was placed before her. She has frequently 

 stood a single partridge at forty yards' distance 

 — her nose in a direct line to the bird. After 

 standing some considerable time, she would 

 drop like a setter, still keeping her nose in 

 an exact line, and would continue in that posi- 

 tion until the game moved ; if it took winf^, 



she would come up to the place, and put l»cr 

 nose down two or threo times; but if a bird 

 ran off, she would get up and go to the place, 

 and draw slowly after it ; and whoa the bird 

 stopped she would stand it as before : nor was 

 her love of hunting ennlined to partridges 

 only ; but she has stood black-game, pheasants, 

 snipes, ami rabbits, and has been seen to do it 

 to all these varieties in one day." 



This, in some respects, may beat the powers 

 even of the educated dog ; but it is a rare, and, 

 it must be acknowledged, an extraordinary in- 

 stance of development in the porcine race. 



THE SPANISH POINTER. 



This dog is apparently one of very ancient 

 extraction ; but Mr. Richardson thinks he is 

 not of Spanish origin — at least not remotely 

 so ; for the primitive breed is traceable to the 

 East. The old Spanish pointer is, when per- 

 fectly thorough-bred, remarkable from having 

 a cleft nose, similar to the Russian variety. The 

 animal is altogether too heavy for the ardour 

 of British sportsmen ; and, with the old Talbot, 

 or Manchester hound, has gradually passed 

 out of notice. He has been displaced from 

 the estimation in which he was held, by a 

 lighter, more active, and energetic dog, more 

 suitable to the tastes of the British sportsman ; 

 viz., the English pointer. 



THE RUSSIAN POINTER. 

 This dog is covered with coarse, wiry hair, 

 like the Russian terrier. He is somewhat less 

 in stature than the ordinary pointer, and is 

 lower in the shoulder. His nose cleft — hence 

 he is frequently called the " double-nosed 

 pointer." He is very staunch, and is held in 

 deservedly high estimation. Jlis temper, 

 however, is said to be unbending, and he, 

 therefore, requires the most careful training. 

 AVhen thoroughly broken in, and rendered 

 perfectly subservient to the will of his master, 

 ho is esteemed a valuable dog, and brings a 

 high price. 



THE PORTUGUESE POINTER. 



This animal is not so heavy as the Spanish 

 pointer ; and is not to be depended on, from 

 his irritable disposition. He is very unsteady, 

 and is favoured with a spreading tail. "We 

 introduce him here simply on account of hia 



435 



