106 DOMESTICATED DOGS FOR THE GUN. 



closed witli his offer. Since then I have hunted them in company 

 with several dogs of high character, but nothing that I have yet 

 seen could equal them. If not taken out for six months, they are 

 perfectly steady, M^hich is a quality rarely to be met with. Every 

 sportsman must know, that the fewer dogs he can do his work 

 with properly, the better : for if they are in condition they cannot 

 be too frequently hunted ; and their tempers, style of working, &c., 

 become more fomiliar to him. On this the whole comfort of 

 shooting depends. Upon these grounds I contend that, for all 

 kinds of shooting, there is nothing equal to the Russian or half- 

 bred Russian setter, in nose, sagacity, and every other necessary 

 qualification that a dog ought to possess." 



Since then, however, Mr. Lang lost the breed, and, I believe, 

 fur some reason or other, had also lost confidence in them. They 

 are now very scarce in this country, of pure blood, and even the 

 cross with the English setter is seldom seen. 



The actual form of the Russian setter is almost entirely con- 

 cealed by a long woolly coat, which is matted together in the most 

 extraordinary manner, and which would lead to the supposition 

 that he would be unable to stand heat even as well as our curly 

 setters ; but, on the contrary, he bears it almost like a pointer. 

 He has the bearded muzzle of the deerhound and Scotch terrier, 

 but the hair is of a more woolly nature, and appears to be between 

 that of the poodle and the water spaniel, or perhaps the ordinary 

 setter, but far thinner than either, which may account for the sus- 

 tenance of heat. The legs are straight and strong, and the foini 

 of the body well adaj)ted for the pace which the setter has to keep 



