The Gordon Setter 207 



hounds or cattle he got what setter crosses he wanted. His man would have 

 to ride on horseback as the easiest mode of travel and the dogs or animals 

 would have to walk. Yet Irish setter crosses are glibly talked about as if 

 all that had to be done was to telephone or telegraph to Ireland to send 

 over an Irish setter by express and look for it at the railway station the 

 next day. 



Still another point is that the colour which was said to be the result 

 of the introduction of the Irish blood was conspicuous by its absence in 

 the setters sold in 1836, if we except the red and white puppy, and after 

 that sale there was never any suggestion that Irish blood was being intro- 

 duced. There is more food for thought in the fact of the impressive black 

 and white setter from Mr. Osbaldestone going north in 1827, ^"d seven of 

 the eleven lots being of that colour. Red and white, it must be borne in 

 mind, was a well established English spaniel and setter colour, and its 

 presence in setters whose ancestors were a mixed lot might naturally be 

 expected. 



Early English Show Dogs 



From "Idstone's" comments on the dogs of his day we give what may 

 be interesting to those who can trace back the pedigrees of their dog to these 

 old-timers. He owned Kent, the leading prize-winner of the first shows, 

 and he says he was weak in hind quarters and thick in shoulders, and that 

 he probably imposed on judges by his rich colour and stature. His get 

 were largely gun-shy. Reuben, illustrated by Stonehenge, was a dog of 

 mark for coat, depth of chest and action. Lord Bolingbroke's Argyle was 

 to "Idstone's" mind the best Gordon he ever saw. "He had a grand 

 frame, powerful hocks and loin, and his neck and shoulders so long, well 

 poised and muscular that he would have taken high rank anywhere. He 

 was a narrow, deep-made, racing-looking dog, of true, pure Gordon blood, 

 and I will engage there was no collie blood in him, though several of his get 

 had the collie stern, which rather weakens my theory. I had one litter 

 by him out of Ruby, which included those celebrated public winners, 

 Argyle II., Boll and my bitch Regent, who was never beaten except by her 

 mother. Regent was the most perfect Gordon I ever saw." Except in coat, 

 Moll was not so good as Regent. She was bred by Mr. Jobling and owned 

 by Mr. Handy. The Marquis of Huntly owned two good ones in Silk and 

 Young Kent; the latter was not fast, but a perfect field dog. Mr. Jobling's 



