The Pointer. 269 



the advantage of the shooter, who can much more 

 easily distinguish his dog against the dark outline of 

 heather and bracken, when being used on the moors, 

 and the idea that the birds better see a white 

 coloured dog, and therefore do not lie so well to him, 

 is altogether fallacious. All who have shot over the 

 wide expanses of Scottish moors or Irish mountains 

 with wide ranging dogs doing the work, will agree 

 with me that the dark colour of many of the setters 

 requires so much strain on the eyes to discern 

 them at even comparatively short distances, as to 

 decidedly interfere with the average of the shooter. 



Before entering at length into his description it 

 may be as well to state that the classes at the 

 more important shows are arranged to meet his 

 different sizes, for the pointer varies in this respect 

 more than any other sporting dog. Such classifica- 

 tion is usually for " large-sized " dogs 55lb. weight 

 and over, and bitches 5olb. weight and over; the 

 u small size " including dogs under 55lb. weight, and 

 bitches under 5olb. in weight. 



The pointer is an elegantly shaped dog, smooth in 

 coat, which, though close and weather-resisting, 

 ought not to be hard and coarse. In some strains 

 there is a tendency to be rather coarse in the stern, 

 which in reality is no detriment, though smooth and 

 fine caudal appendages are fashionable. The latter 



