622 Some American Sporting Dogs. 



a friend who would shoot but occasionally, and desired to break his 

 own dogs, to choose a pointer in preference. But to those who are 

 skillful in handling dogs, and who are so situated as to be able to 

 keep their dogs in work during the shooting season, there can scarcely 

 be a doubt that the setter is the better dog. Certainly he is the choice 





RED IRISH SETTER "DICK." (OWNED BY WM. JARVIS, CLAREMONT, N. H.) 



of the larger number of sportsmen, although it must be admitted that 

 fashion prevails here as everywhere, and the setter is the fashionable 

 dog of the day. Of course, in both setters and pointers there are 

 exceptions to the general rules I have given, and individuals of either 

 variety are to be found possessing the best qualities attributed to 

 both. 



Leaving the question of superiority, let us look at the different 

 breeds and strains of both setters and pointers to which the choice 

 must be narrowed down. There are now in this country two public 

 tests for sporting dogs at which their qualities may be decided, — 

 bench-shows and field trials. At bench-shows dogs are exhibited in 

 raised pens or boxes, and being taken before a duly appointed and 

 presumably competent person, are judged by a certain standard for 

 each variety, which I shall presently mention. This test, of course, 

 is similar to one which a race-horse would pass in his box, and 

 although it might be an indication, through form, of speed, endur- 

 ance, and intelligence, it would be no index of the possession of 

 those two great requisites, "nose," or scenting power, and "stanch- 

 ness," without the former of which the most highly bred dog would 

 be as valueless as the most worthless cur. At field trials dogs are 



