FIELD DOGS. 



BLENDING OF STOCKS. 



We shall confine our remarks concerning the 

 mixed breed, to the pointer and setter, reserving 

 a regular treatise upon the sporting dogs of 

 America for some future occasion. We could 

 heartily wish that a period should be put to the 

 practice of crossing these two varieties, at least 

 for the present. It has so extensively prevailed 

 among us, that comparatively few dogs of pure 

 stock are now to be had, and both products of 

 the cross have degenerated to a certain extent. 



For the pointer, we doubt if, as a rule, his 

 professional qualities have been improved by his 

 relationship either with the setter or the fox- 

 hound. An uncommonly fine animal does oc- 

 casionally occur, but the instances are few and 

 far between. The same remark may be made 

 of the setter. Indeed, as far as our experience 

 serves us, for one really good dog of the mixed 

 breed, we have seen, perhaps, twenty, which 

 were entirely worthless, or showed something 

 outre and malapropos in their conduct in the 



