PUBLIC FIELD TRIALS. 359 



Nearly twenty years later John Scott writes in the " Sportsman's Repository " : 



" Many sportsmen prefer the Setter to the Pointer for pheasant shooting, as more active 

 and hardy, having so much of the quality of the Spaniel, and thence not flinching at the 

 thickest coverts. On the moors, and for grouse shooting also, the preference of the Setter is 

 decisive, for although he is said to require much water, and to be unable to endure heat and 

 thirst like the Pointer, the former, from his constitutional activity and the hardness of his feet, 

 is superior in a long day over a rough and uneven surface. From accident, or from that 

 never-failing desire of shining by the intermixture of breeds, with little consideration of the 

 end, Pointers have been crossed with Setters, and Setters with Pointers, but we have not seen 

 any beneficial result. On the score of utility, the Setter can derive no improvement from 

 such a cross ; and granting which, however, is not proved that the Pointer gains something 

 in regard of usefulness, such advantage will be countervailed by an abatement of size, figure, 

 and stateliness, on which account only, perhaps, he superseded the Setter in the affections of 

 the sportsman 



" It has been disputed very uselessly whether the Setter or the Pointer have the most 

 powerful nose ; but let a sportsman take a thorough good dog of either kind into the field, 

 and he will no longer trouble himself with that dispute. Beyond a doubt, the Setter is the 

 most useful gun dog of the two, but the Pointer is the largest, most stately and showy, and 

 is admired for his rate, his high ranging, and steadiness. The Setter on his part may put in 

 his claim, and more especially when of the pure breed, to his full share of the intelligence' 

 sagacity, and affection for man, which shines so eminently and so delightfully in the Spaniel." 



Such remarks as above would seem to betoken a very rapid advance on the part of 

 the Setter in the estimation of sportsmen who used the gun, for it must be borne in mind 

 that not twenty years before it would seem that this dog was only being gradually intro- 

 duced into this branch of sport, having been more generally used in netting operations up 

 to the commencement of this century. At the period of writing (1880) the Setter is 

 certainly the more successful dog in the field, as his many triumphs in field trial com- 

 petitions must amply prove. With reference to these trials it may be briefly mentioned 

 that they were instituted by the Kennel Club, which is a Society originated about the year 

 1869 for the purpose of promoting the general improvement of dogs, dog shows, and dog 

 trials. These latter are unquestionably decided proofs of a dog's capacity for work, and 

 may be regarded as most successful institutions, having been largely patronised by the 

 higher class of sportsmen, who have shown great interest in the trials, and who have in 

 addition entered their dogs largely for competition. The rules for the guidance of field 

 trials are very clearly laid down by the Kennel Club, and being likely to be appreciated 

 by sportsmen who may be desirous of instituting such competitions in their own neigh- 

 bourhood, a copy of them will be found below. 



1. Management of a Meeting. The management ot a meeting shall be entrusted to a committee in 

 conjunction with Field Stewards, the latter of whom shall be appointed by the committee before the time of 

 running. The stewards shall decide any disputed question by a majority of those present, subject to an appeal 

 to the committee. No steward shall vote during a meeting in any case relating to his own dogs. 



2. Election of Judges. The judge, or judges, shall be elected by the committee, and their names shall be 

 announced as soon as possible after their election. When a judge, from ill-health or any other unexpected 

 cause, is prevented attending a meeting or finishing it, the committee shall have the power of deciding what is 

 to be done. 



