402 Modern Dogs. 



and those that were used for hawking were 

 " baffers," i.e., they gave tongue. 



From these two breeds of spaniels, I believe, 

 have sprung all the varieties known at the present 

 time, not excluding the toy spaniels. Writers on 

 canine matters so recently as within the present 

 century, have told us that the Blenheim spaniel was 

 at that time used for covert shooting, and was 

 useful in such a capacity. Now it is purely and 

 simply a lap or toy dog, and the most perfect speci- 

 mens that are seen on the show benches would likely 

 enough come off but second best in a tussle with a 

 good wild rabbit. 



The extraordinary sagacity and affectionate dis- 

 position of the spaniel have repeatedly formed a 

 theme for those who delight to dwell on anecdotes 

 relating to dogs. Unfortunately, in most instances, 

 the variety of spaniel is not mentioned, so one is at a 

 loss to know whether to give the credit of such extra- 

 ordinary intelligence to the little creature that has 

 been the pampered favourite of monarchs and ladies 

 since the days of the Stuarts, or to that equally 

 valuable animal that assists the sportsman to fill his 

 bag with either feathered or ground game, or both. 



But, as already hinted, the show era has wrought 

 an extraordinary change in the character and appear- 

 ance of our spaniels, and in vain we look for the old 



