626 Some American Sporting Dogs. 



tan or, in fact, of almost any known combinations of the colors men- 

 tioned except those of orange and lemon and black. The points by 

 which they are judged in this country — perfection in these points 

 is supposed to make the acme of a dog — are as follows: 



" Head long, and somewhat narrow, with a fair distance from the eye to the end of 

 the nose, which should not be snipy or ant-eater like ; skull a little prominent ; ears set 

 on low and flat, not thrown back ; the least stop just above or across the eyes ; jaws 

 level, with a little fullness of lip just at the back of the mouth ; eye large but not pro- 

 truding, with a quick appearance ; neck thin and deep at setting-in" on chest, moder- 

 ately long and slightly arched, with no appearance of throatiness ; shoulder-blades long 

 and well receding at the points, with a flatness of shoulder-sides not noticed in any 

 other dog ; narrow at shoulder-point, but great muscular development in the shoulder- 

 blades and fore-arms; chest very deep, not over narrow between the fore-legs. Fore- 

 legs strong and muscular in the fore-arm j leg straight, with a slight, elastic-like 

 appearance ; foot moderately round, but oftener flat ; back wide", deeply ribbed, lower- 

 ing slightly from the shoulder to the hip ; loins wide and very muscular; stifles full and 

 well developed; hock well bent; stern [tail] carried almost level with the back, a 

 moderate length, well flagged from the root, wearing off to nothing at tip of stern; 

 coat wavy or straight, fine and silky, free from curl, especially on hind-quarters." 



The Irish setter is a dog now fast coming into fashion with us. 

 He is wiry and enduring, but headstrong, requiring a deal of work 

 to keep him in command. When well bred they are remarkably 

 handsome dogs, as will be seen from the portrait of Mr. Jarvis's 

 "Dick." His bench-show points are as follows: 



" Head narrow, widening a little in the forehead, skull slightly arched ; ears a fair 

 length, slightly folded, hanging straight, set well back in the head, and moderately 

 feathered ; eye hazel or brownish, with a sensible and loving look, not prominent ; nose 

 dark flesh-color, or black; chest but moderately wide, with great depth; back straight, 

 but slightly receding to the hip, with good loins and well-bent stifles ; stern carried 

 slightly up, not much flagged, but slightly; coat inclined to be harsh, not soft and 

 silky, smooth or wavy, and thick, but not too long; color a deep mahogany-red, but 

 not any black ; white, however, is allowable in some Irish breeds on chest and legs 

 and neck." 



The Gordon setter, in spite of a well-known English authority, 

 from whom indeed we have received our points for judging, does 

 possess the "go-ahead qualities now required." How any one who 

 has shot over well-bred Gordons can make such an assertion, I am 

 at a loss to imagine. Those that I have seen in the field have been 

 dogs of remarkable endurance, and the rich beauty of their silky black- 

 and-tan coats, and their affectionate dispositions, are unsurpassed 



