VARIOUS CROSSES AND THE IK RESULTS. 401 



to crosses other than the Foxhound, and there are some who hold that both Greyhound 

 and Bulldog blood have been introduced into it. This is, no doubt, a very probable circum- 

 stance, as on the face of it the Greyhound would have been quite as likely a cross to be 

 attempted, in the first instance, as the Foxhound was, by breeders who were anxious to 

 increase the pace of the old Spanish Pointer, and who were also bold enough to experi- 

 mentalise in doing so. Though every credit is due to the men who are not weak enough to, 

 upon all occasions, follow the beaten track with blind precipitancy, there can be little respect 

 paid to the judgment of those who thought of adopting sucli a cross as a beneficial one in 

 the case of Pointers. It must be remembered that the Greyhound is a dog which hunts by 

 sight and not by scent, and therefore the introduction of his blood into the veins of a 

 Spanish Pointer would unquestionably have the direct effect of injuring the grand nose of 

 that breed of dog. A great addition of pace would most surely have been acquired, but the 

 loss of nose when such a combination of blood was attempted must have been tremendous. 

 A tendency to chase, too, must have been deeply instilled in the dispositions of the result 

 of such a cross, and it is more than improbable that any breeder persevered for any 

 length of time in his efforts to improve the Spanish Pointer by the help of the 

 Greyhound. 



The Bulldog cross can hardly be regarded in a more favourable light, for not only would 

 it most certainly tend to injure the pace of any breed (the Bulldog probably being one of the 

 slowest breeds of dog in existence) ; but it is well known amongst breeders that the fact of 

 Bulldog blood being largely introduced into the veins of any other variety makes the animals 

 possessing it both quarrelsome and headstrong. As we have before stated, the Bulldog pure 

 and simple is, as a rule, a harmless, good-natured beast, long-suffering, and very slow to anger, 

 but it is nevertheless certain that impure specimens differ very widely in temper from highly- 

 bred Bulldogs. It is, however, probable that the Bull cross was introduced in certain 

 instances upon the top of the Greyhound cross referred to in the last paragraph, and with 

 the intention of increasing its staunchness and heart. But, still, until the Bull blood came 

 by the lapse of time to be reduced to a minimum, we do not think the breed could be by 

 any means improved by its presence in a Pointer's veins. Bulldogs have a "nose" beyond 

 a doubt, but their warmest admirers do not pretend that they could, at any time, rival the 

 Spanish Pointer in the possession of this important faculty ; and therefore in giving it as our 

 opinion that at one time or another Bulldog blood was introduced, we can only argue that it 

 was either in the form of a counter experiment as a means to remedy the weaknesses of a 

 Greyhound cross, or with a view to breed out to a very great extent. By this we mean that 

 the breeders who have adopted it were very likely to have been influenced in their judgments 

 by the knowledge that an important characteristic of the presence of Bull blood, even in the 

 remotest degree, is to improve the courage of the animal possessing it. They may have, there- 

 fore, argued that by a series of judicious re-crossings, the slowness and obstinacy of the Bulldog, 

 together with other objectionable features, could be obliterated, but that the indomitable spirit 

 and heart cf our national dog could be secured in some degree. 



That the Pointer, as he now exists, does in many instances show signs of "softness," 

 almost every one who is well acquainted with his nature will freely admit ; and no higher 

 authority can be quoted than Mr. William Lort, who remarked in the Setter article which 

 has preceded this that often on an inclement day the Pointer will "shut up" after some 

 hours' exposure to the weather. A dash of Bull might, therefore, have been considered by 

 early breeders as very likely to remedy this evil, and we are very strongly impressed by 



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