The Irish Setter 185 



been lightly touched upon, notwithstanding that it was said in the days of 

 Elcho Jr., Glencho, Bruce, Tim, Chief, Lady Clare, and other flyers of 

 that period, that we could beat the world, for to me 'the red dog is first of 

 all a field dog.' " 



Dr. Davis Expresses His Views 



Dr. Gwilym G. Davis of Philadelphia has for many years stood by 

 the red dogs for work, and much of what has been done in the past by the 

 Irish Setter Club has been due to his energy. Unlike most enthusiasts on 

 the subject of one breed, Dr. Davis can see faults or points of difference, 

 as the following very candid note regarding his experience testifies: "As 

 to Irish setter field qualities, my experience is that they are the equal of any 

 breed or strain of setter. I have never bred a low-headed one. They run 

 high-headed, have good noses and are fast and usually wide rangers. 



"One drawback to the popular success of the Irish setters is that 

 they are late in developing, and usually do not train until their second 

 season, say a year and a half to two years old, and do not show their true 

 form until they are at least three or four years of age, and continue to 

 improve until five, six and even seven years of age. Because they do not 

 train early most people and the regular run of trainers get tired of the expense 

 and time necessary for development and say they are *no good.' In hard- 

 headedness and timidity they average about as other dogs, and also as to 

 staunchness, but I doubt if they show as a breed either the pointing instinct 

 or the staunchness of the pointer, though far ahead as a field dog. 



*' In voicing this opinion I have no doubt I shall find plenty of com- 

 batants, but I am not giving other people's views but my own, and my 

 views are the outcome of an experience of eighteen years with shooting 

 dogs. I have owned and shot over some of the best Llewellyns and owned 

 some pointers. I have owned wholly or in part two Count Noble bitches, 

 a Roderigo bitch, and setters by Buckellew, San Roy and other good dogs, 

 and I now have my fifth generation of Irish setters, four of which I have 

 bred myself. I began with Currer Bell III., by Sarsfield out of Maud II., 

 by Champion Berkeley, by Elcho. I bred her to Champion Tim, a son 

 of two champions — Biz and Hazel, by Elcho. One of the bitch puppies 

 I named Currer Bell IV., and she I bred to that good dog Finglas, and a 

 beautifully bred one as all setter men know. Her daughter Loo I bred to 



