404 THR BOOK OF THE DOG. 



of pace to be found in the light-weights, and their staunchness in many instances is very 

 slightly, if at all, inferior to the heavier animals. Active sportsmen are certain to enjoy 

 the assistance of such companions in the field ; but it is questionable if in many instances 

 they may not be too much for the very people who attribute so much to the excellence of 

 the Pointer ; that is to say, if he is of the heavier, that is slower, type. It may, therefore, 

 we are of opinion, be taken that the medium-sized Pointers are, as a rule, by far more 

 valuable as sporting dogs than either of the extremes in weight, as they may be reasonably 

 expected to combine pace and staunchness to an extent which is likely to commend itself 

 to every sort of sportsman. 



It is, we believe, a pretty generally admitted fact amongst sportsmen that modern 

 Pointers are deficient in nose when compared with what they used to be; in other words, nose 

 has been sacrificed by the almost insane importance which has been attached to pace. 

 Breeders appear to have, in many instances, only ha,d in view the production of an animal 

 that can gallop, and thereby cover more ground than other dogs which might be brought 

 against them ; and nose has thereby suffered to a great extent. 



Our Continental cousins, especially the Germans, have, however, viewed things in a 

 very different light, for the Continental Pointers partake more fully of the nature of their 

 Spanish ancestors than do the English. A leading German sportsman only recently 

 remarked to us, that though he admired the English dogs (Pointers) they- were too fast for 

 the sport he wished to put them to, and that his experience taught him that the slow and 

 staunch German Pointer was, in his part of the world, the more valuable dog. However, he 

 added, that he hoped that the crosses he had in view between the two varieties, German and 

 English, would improve both breeds, and render each more valuable for his purpose. 



The German Pointer does not differ very materially from the English, save in his 

 clumsiness. He is more throaty, certainly ; but this is scarcely to be wondered at when his 

 closer connection to the Spanish Pointer comes to be considered. The best specimens of this 

 variety which we have seen at German dog shows, have been livcr-and-whitc in colour, and 

 the lower dog in the accompanying illustration may be taken as a very faithful representation 

 of this class. 



On comparing the three types of Pointer (Spanish, German, and English) which have 

 been treated of in this work, our readers might almost be brought to style the three varieties 

 as superlative, comparative, and positive, for they really represent these degrees to a remark- 

 able extent. The superlative bulk of the original Spanish Pointer becomes greatly modified 

 when the German branch of the family appears upon the scene, whilst the latter in his turn 

 has to be at once refined if he is desired to be made anything like the English dog in shape. 



In the accompanying engraving, the resemblance of the German Pointer to the 

 Spanish is very apparent, especially in the fore-quarters, and it may be added that little 

 pace could be expected to be found in either of these animals. Contrasted with the English 

 Pointer, however, neither the German or Spanish members of the family are likely to surfer 

 if strength is to be taken as any criterion of merit; but it is nevertheless notorious that their 

 great bone has not had the effect of adding stamina to either breed. 



Whether or no the German Pointer would be a desirable cross for our English dogs 

 is a moot question at the present time. Personally we should be very much disposed to 

 try it, if we had a strain of light-weight Pointers to work upon ; and our desire to do 

 so would be increased if we had the breeding of a field-trial winner before our eyes. 

 At present, as we have said above, we consider that too much attention has been paid 



