WATER SPANIEL 1 FOPv MOUNTAIN, FIELD, AND FAR^L [retiiieveb. 



Now, really, I tlo not think that I should bo 

 nshnnied to write even the naino of this dog, that 

 it may bo left to posterity that Xonophon, 

 the Athenian, had a greyliound, enlli'd llonni'', 

 of the greatest speed and intelligence, and 

 altogether supremely excellent." 



Flattering as this description is, wo cannot 

 thinlc it over-drawn, for we, ourselves, have 

 beeu possessed of dogs of dill'erent breeds, 

 which have testiiied the utmost allection, not 

 only to ourselves personally, but to all th- 

 meuibers of the household, except the servants, 

 whom some of them have marked out for a 

 smaller proportion of their favour. AV'e have 

 already alluded to the motto, " Wildbrat was i 

 faithful," as belonging to the principal order ' 

 iu Denmark; and there is another instance ofi 

 faithfulness in tlie spaniel, also connected with 

 history, and which places the sagacity of this ! 

 beautiful species of dog in a most favourable , 

 point of view. The circumstance is noticed | 

 by Mr. Blaine, in whose language we will 

 here give it ; but the aucedote is given by Mr. 

 Daniel : — 



" Lodebrook, of the blood-royal of Denmark, 

 and father to Humber and Ilubba, being iu a 

 boat with his ox and his dog, was, by an un- 

 expected storm, driven on the coast of Nor- 

 folk ; where, being discovered, and suspected 

 as a spy, he was brought to Edmund, at that 

 time king of the East Angles. Making him- 

 self known, he was treated with great hospi- 

 tality by the monarch, and particularly so on 

 account of his dexterous skill in hawking and 

 hunting. The king's falconer grew jealous of 

 this attention, and, lest it should lessen his 

 merit ia his royal master's opinion, and so 

 deprive him of his place, had the treachery to 

 waylay Lodebrook, and murder him, and con- 

 ceal the body amongst some bushes. He was 

 presently missed at court, and the king mani- 

 fested great impatience to know what was be- 

 come of him, when his dog, who had staid in 

 the woods by the corpse of his master, till 

 famine forced him thence, came and fawned on 

 the king, and enticed him to follow him. The 

 body was found, and, by a chain of evidence, 

 the murderer was discovered : as a just punish- 

 ment, he was placed alone in Lodebrook's 

 boat, and committed to the mercy of the sea, 

 which bore him to the very sliore the prince 

 had quitted. The boat was recognised ; and \ 



tho assassin, to avoid tho torture, falsely con- 

 fessed that Lodebrook had bei-ii put to death 

 by the order of Edmund, which account so ej- 

 asperated the Danes, that, to revenge his mur- 

 der, they invaded Euglaud." 



Tlio water spaniel is of considerable anti- 

 quity. He is sculptured on many Roman n-- 

 mains; and Colonel Smith thinks him idiiiti- 

 cal with the Cunis Tuscus lauded by Ne- 

 mesian. 



THE RETRIEVER. 



This is a useful dog, but of uncertain paren- 

 tage. He has been called an indefinite dog. 

 He is required to act many parts — to make u 

 tolerable pointer, a better setter, and a handy 

 hunter, in thick covers after wounded garni*. 

 To bo perfect in his calling, be sl'.ould, on the 

 very glance of your eye, spring among tangled 

 woods and bi'iars, or rush into the water, pick 

 up, and bring out a dead or wounded bird. 

 He is necessarily an animal of great canine 

 attainments, full of intelligence of the highes*''- 

 order ; remarkably quick in bis appreheusioi , 

 adventurous, and swift of foot. This kind of 

 dog is a necessary appendage to a regular 

 shooting establishment. It is astouisliinfr how 

 sagacious ho becomes by proper training, and 

 how much his labours facilitate the acquisition 

 of a good day's sport. The great error to 

 guard against, is the haste and impatienco 

 which are embodied in his nature. 



Speaking of the desire which every thorough 

 sportsman has to have every species of dog 

 adapted to the peculiar kind of game to bo 

 hunted, Mr. Blaiue says that he knew such a 

 one, who, when ranging his pointers in advance, 

 was always followed by a retriever of very rare 

 qualities. His pointers, also, did their duty 

 to admiration ; and when they cauie to a steady 

 point, bang from each barrel followed, and two 

 birds usually fell ; the pointers remained on 

 the spot, motionless witnesses. A move of the 

 sportsman's hand, and the "awav" to the re- 

 triever, sent him off like lightning, and he 

 returned with both birds. The ability of this 

 dog was such, that when two birds fell, he 

 would hold one by tlie neck, and the other by 

 the wing, near to the body ; by which device 

 neither bird would be injured, nor himself en- 

 cumbered. In pheasant-shooting, likewise, the 

 excellent discipline of this dog, and his extra- 



