1 8 Varieties of the Dog. 



measure 22 in. to 24 in. across the head from tip to tip, 

 including the hair, which should be soft and silky. They 

 should lie close to the head, and be set well back. They 

 should not be fixed on the top of the head, but be set 

 rather low. The neck strong and muscular. The 

 shoulders broad and prominent. The chest of medium 

 depth, broad, well developed, and muscular. The body 

 and loins strong and powerful; loins slightly drooping 

 towards root of tail. The legs : fore-legs strong, muscular, 

 straight, and not inclined to be bandied ; hind legs strong 

 and should be like those of a greyhound, well bent, and 

 very short from hock to foot. The feet strong and round, 

 of a good medium size (not too small), and they should 

 be well feathered between the toes. The tail, thin and 

 straight, should be set low, and always carried below the 

 level of the back, with a downward tendency. The coat 

 waved and silky, but never wiry or woolly ; it should be 

 3 in. to 4 in. in length. The feathering on the legs, hams, 

 and tail, and the frill on the breast, should be 4 in. to 5 in. 

 in length. The colours, black, brown, liver, black and 

 white, liver and white, and lemon and white. The points 

 are: head, neck, and ears, 30; chest and shoulders, 10; 

 back and ribs, 10 ; legs and feet, 10 ; low carriage of tail, 

 10 ; symmetry, 10 ; colour and coat, 5. 



Water Spaniels may be classed as English or Irish, 

 besides which there is the Tweedside breed, which re- 

 sembles a good deal in appearance a small ordinary 

 English retriever of a liver-colour. 



The Old English Water Spaniel is now seldom 

 or never seen in any degree of purity, and it is scarcely 

 necessary, or even possible, to describe it with any degree 

 of certainty as to the truth of the particulars. I shall 

 therefore pass on to the Irish breeds. 



The North of Ireland Water Spaniel resembles 

 greatly the old English dog, except in having shorter ears 

 without feather, and in being longer on the legs, which 

 also are without feather. It is seldom met with in this 

 country. 



The Southern Irish Water Spaniel is, on the 

 contrary, more frequently found in England and Ireland, 



