414 Modern Dogs. 



spaniel a fairly useful dog for such work ; he has, 

 however, never been a popular companion with 

 sportsmen generally, and never will be, for the 

 simple reason that he is not the all round sports- 

 man's dog many of his admirer's claim him to be. 

 His great length of ear, coat, and feathering almost 

 prevent him, for instance, working in covert, whereas 

 a good squarely-built field spaniel of fair size, with 

 a reasonable length of body, ear, and feathering, 

 with a good dense coat, will do for you in water any 

 and everything the Irish water spaniel can do, and 

 perform in covert what the ( Irishman ' cannot. 

 Hence, since the history of dog exhibitions, this 

 variety of water spaniel is standing still, and, on 

 the contrary, there is an increase in the various 

 kinds of field spaniels. 



" Of course, it must not be understood that I 

 believe all breeders of exhibition spaniels are sports- 

 men it is a fact some are not but I often think 

 more is made of this point frequently than there is 

 any sound justice for doing, and I state without fear 

 of contradiction that a very large percentage of the 

 breeders and exhibitors of the various classes of 

 spaniels are also fond of their gun as well as 

 their dog. Some of course have more opportunity 

 than others for breeding and working their dogs. 

 Another point which makes the ordinary springer or 



