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CHAPTER XLVII. 



THE IRISH SETTER. 



THE origin of the Irish Setter is, like that of other breeds, buried in an obscurity from 

 which it will never emerge, in spite of the many theories which have been propounded con- 

 cerning it. The peculiarity of its colouring renders this dog distinct in itself, and it is more 

 than possible that it is in some way descended from the liver-hued setting dog which is 

 referred to by Gervase Markham in his " Hunger's Prevention." 



As a matter of fact the earliest mention that we have been able to discover of any Setter 

 peculiar to Ireland is in the " Sportsman's Cabinet," where, in the chapter on English Setters, 

 direct allusion is made to this breed of dog in the following words : 



" The sporting gentlemen of Ireland are more partial to Setters than Pointers, and probably 

 they are better adapted to that country. . . . The fields in many parts of Ireland are 

 large, very rugged, and stony." 



This clearly proves that at the beginning of this century the Setter, in some shape or 

 other, was identified with the Emerald Isle. It is greatly to be regretted that no mention is 

 made of the appearance of these dogs, as, if there had been anything of the kind, a good deal 

 of light might have been thrown upon the Irish Setter as the breed at present exists. It is 

 somewhat remarkable that in the cases both of the Irish Setter and the Gordon Setter so 

 great a difference of opinion should exist among their supporters on the subject of colour. 

 The controversy on the Gordon Setter question has already been done justice to ; but, on 

 approaching the Irish Setter, we are met with almost identical difficulties. As in the Gordon 

 so in the Irish, opinions are mainly divided on the question of white. Whether this colour 

 is permissible in a pure-bred Irish Setter or not was, at one time, a very important feature 

 in discussions on the breed, and we have of later years even heard it maintained that white 

 marks should disqualify an Irish Setter in competition on the show bench. 



Naturally, such extreme opinions as the above are shared by only a very limited number 

 of breeders, as it is more than questionable whether any strain of Irish Setters is entirely 

 free from white. Solitary specimens of the breed are, of course, prevalent in great numbers, 

 but it can never be taken as a certainty in breeding that the offspring of pure bred dogs will 

 themselves be of that colour wholly unmixed with white. A very large number of experienced 

 breeders have written from time to time most strenuously in support of the introduction of 

 white into the breed, and have given it not only as their opinion that the mixture of 

 colours is more taking to the eye, but that it is a positive proof of purity in the breed. 

 However, for our own part, we must confess that our affections lie in the direction of a 

 whole coloured dog, and that we think the less white an Irish Setter has about him the 

 handsomer he is. So much in modern times depends upon appearances, and there are so few 

 opportunities for satisfactorily testing the merits of a show dog in the field, that the question 

 of his beauty is of far greater importance than it was before the origin of canine exhibitions. 



