Varieties of the Dog. 49 



rare among them, and any appearance of impatience 

 under restraint, or other defects in the field may as a 

 rule be attributed to imperfect training, or such may be 

 the result of impure descent. They are excellent swim- 

 mers, not in smooth water alone, but prove themselves 

 invaluable on the sea shore, when against surf and swell 

 they resolutely search for the dead or maimed bird. 



The retriever proper should have a long head, wide 

 and flat, and a moderately large eye, lull 01 niieni^ence 

 and docility ; mouth capacious ; ears small, lying close to 

 the face, and set low, with short hair only on them ; nose 

 large ; neck long ; and face covered with short hair only. 

 Head, to; nose, 10; ears, 2; neck, 8 — total, 30. 



The loins and back must be strong and firmly coupled, 

 without which this big heavy dog soon tires, and as he 

 sometimes has to carry a hare for half a mile, and to 

 jump gates and brooks with her in his mouth, this point 

 is of great importance. Quarters also must be thick, and 

 clothed strongly with muscle. Shoulders strong and 

 oblique ; chest broad and also deep. Loins and back, 

 10; hind quarters, 10; shoulders, 6; chest, 4. 



Legs long, straight, and muscular; feet round and 

 compact; toes well arched and not spreading; hocks 

 powerful ; stifles strong and wide. Value : feet, 6 ; legs, 

 6 ; hocks, 6 ; stifles, 2 — total, 20. 



Coat either flat and wavy, or short, curly, and crisp \ 

 the former being in my opinion the best, but in dog 

 shows there is generally now a prize for each kind. 

 Colour either jet black without white, or Uver, also with- 

 out white, or black and tan, or black with brindled legs, 

 or, lastly, whole brindled, Stern well feathered, rather 

 short, but tapering to a point, and carried gaily l3ut not 

 over the back. Colour and coat, 15; stern, 5. The 

 height should be at least 24 in., weight from 70 lbs. to 

 80 lbs. 



The Irish Water Spaniel, and the EngHsh dog of the 

 same breed, are often used as retrievers proper, but I have 

 classed them with the other spaniels, since they are gene- 

 rally used for seeking live as well as dead game. 



Crosses of the terrier and spaniel, and true terriers, are 



4 



