CONJECTURAL ORIGIN OLD RULES. 107 



THE WATER SPANIEL. 



WE have two Varieties of the Water-Dog, the one so called, the other, the 

 WATER SPANIEL. We cannot give assent, to the common conjectures on the origin 

 of these two divisions of the species. It lias been supposed that, the Water Dog 

 has l)een obtained in this Country, from a cross between the Arctic or Greenland 

 Dog, and an English bitch ; and the \\ater Spaniel from the union of the Springer 

 or land Spaniel, and the Water Dog. A\ e feel more inclined to the conjecture 

 that, both these Varieties are of far longer standing than the above account would 

 seem to indicate, and that we imported our water as well as land Spaniels, from 

 the Southern part of Europe, and our Water Days from the Northern. It is cer- 

 tain that in Spain and Italy, they have ever had distinct Varieties of the Land and 

 Water Spaniel, and also that, on the opposite and more Northern parts of the 

 Continent, they have Water Dogs like ours, which in truth, have a foreign 

 appearance. We apprehend the derivation of the latter from the Greenland Dog, 

 to be far fetched indeed ; that dog, at first sight, exhibiting the general features 

 of the Fox, the Wolf, and the Pug, all so extremely opposite to any to be discovered 

 in the Water I)of, which evidently bears the external characters of the Spaniel. 

 There is indeed, far more of probability in the supposed origin of the Water Spaniel, 

 from the Springer and Water Dog, the Water Spaniel wearing the face and ear, 

 and somewhat of the form and air of the Springer, together with the Water Dog's 

 curly coat; so that at any rate, there can be but little doubt but Water Spaniels 

 mio-ht be manufactured by such a cross. All true spaniels will readily enough 

 take to the water, though all of them will not hunt in water as their proper 

 element, the apparent innate quality, of those which have the roughest coats ; 

 a distinction which it may he presumed was originally established by nature 

 herself. 



The old Writers, whimsical, paradoxical, and absurd, upon all sorts of subjects, 

 make us a present of the following precious rules, whereby to judge by the colours, 

 of the perfections of the Water Spaniel, videlicet the black is the best and the 

 hardiest; brmcn the next in degree; the spotted or pied the quickest of scent; the 

 Itrer-cohured the mott rapid in sicimming, and most eager in pursuit ; the liver- 

 coloured and white hath the best eyes ; and the black with vhite feet the most courage. 

 There is no doubt we believe, that jrenerally, the darkest coloured animals are the 

 most hardy, and vice verm. 



Of the form of the Water Spaniel prescribed by the sages aforesaid, we shall not 

 presume to speak contemptuously : his head should be round, w ith curled hair, 



