MODERN ENGLISH POINTER. 93 



of medium size. Muzzle broad, with its outline square in front, not 

 receding as in the hound. Flews manifestly present, but not 

 pendent. The head should be well set on the neck, with a pecu- 

 liar form at the junction only seen in the pointer. The neck 

 itself should be long, convex in its upper outline, without any 

 tendency to a dewlaj) or to a " ruff," as the loose skin covered with 

 long hair round the neck is called. The body is of good length, 

 with a strong loin, wide hips, and rather arched ribs, the chest 

 being well let down, but not in a hatchet shape as in the greyhound, 

 and the depth of the hack rlhs being proportionately greater than 

 in that dog. The tail, or "stern" as it is technically called, is 

 strong at the root, but suddenly diminishing it becomes very fine, 

 and then continues nearly of the same size to within two inches of 

 the tip, when it goes off to a point looking as sharp as the sting of 

 a wasp, and giving the whole very much the appearance of that 

 part of the insect, but magnified as a matter of course. This 

 peculiar shape of the stern characterises the breed, and its absence 

 shows a cross with the hound or some other dog. The shoulders 

 are points of great importance in the pointer, as unless they are 

 well-formed he cannot last throughout the day, and, moreover, he 

 can neither stop himself nor turn quickly in his work as he ought 

 to do. Hence, a long, slanting, but muscular blade is of vast im- 

 portance, united to a long upper arm, which again requires for its 

 existence an elbow well let down below the chest, and a short fore 

 arm. This low position of the elbow is not generally sufficientlv 

 insisted on, but in pointers and setters it is all-important, and it 

 will be seen to be particularl}^ well shown in the portrait annexed. 



