The Black Field Spaniel. 471 



Mr. Jacobs made no secret of his strain, which 

 were always well grown and healthy, in the prime of 

 condition, a fact which he attributed to feeding his 

 favourites on nothing but flesh. I fancy that fresh 

 air and exercise had more to do with this good 

 growth and bright coat than the actual diet. He 

 also tells me that he does not believe in there being 

 at any time any distinct colour variety of spaniels. 



Mr. Jacobs had been breeding spaniels for some 

 years before he showed them, and the first black 

 specimen he had was as far back as 1874. This 

 dog, Nigger, was by Mr. Bullock's Palm, from his 

 Flirt, and the foundation of this most successful 

 kennel was laid from this dog and a team of four 

 bitches obtained from the late Mr. S. Lang. The 

 best of them were by Rolf out of Belle, the former 

 from the strain that Dr. Boulton had. 



However, not contented with these good spaniels 

 of pure blood, Mr. Jacobs went further afield, and the 

 well-known liver-coloured dog Bachelor became his 

 at the same time that he obtained a Sussex bitch 

 called Russet from the Rev. W. Shield ; and from 

 this stock the Newton Abbot kennels must have 

 produced hundreds of winners of all colours, for the 

 great part heavy and medium-sized dogs. The sale 

 of Bridford Perfection has already been noted, and 

 the last dozen dogs Mr. Jacobs sold realised ^1500, 



