DOMESTIC DOGS. 



5 2 7 



Setters. 



The various breeds known as setters are larg.- spaniels which h;m- 

 acquired thr habit of pointing at their game. They derive their nam.- 

 from having been originally taught to crouch down when marking game, in order 

 to admit of the net with which the quarry was taken being readily drawn over 

 them. With the use of guns this habit became, however, of no advantage, and 

 setters were taught to assume the attitude of pointers. At the present day there 

 are live chief breeds of setters, three of which are commonly seen in England. 



The English setter, which is regarded as the result of a cross between the field- 

 spaniel and the pointer, should have a silky coat, with a slight wave, but no curl 









IRISH SETTER ( nat. size). 



in the hair. The fore and hind-legs should be thinly fringed with hair, while in 

 the tail the fringe of long hair should fall regularly like the teeth of a comb, 

 without any signs of bushiness. In the middle of the tail the length of the fringe 

 should be from 6 to 7 inches in length, while at the point it should not exceed 

 half an inch. An abundance of hair between the toes is another "point" of 

 the setter. There is great variation in colour, which is valued according to the 

 following scale, viz. black-and-white ticked with large splashes, known as the 

 " blue Belton " ; orange-and-white freckled, known as " orange Belton " ; orange or 

 lemon-and-white without ticks : liver-and-white ticked ; black-and-white with 

 slight tan markings ; black-and-white ; liver-and-white without ticks ; pure white ; 

 black ; liver ; red or yellow. The Irish setter is generally of a red colour without 



