COLOURS OF POINTERS. 407 



to increasing the pace of a Pointer, and we believe that the time is not far off when this 

 merit will play a secondary position to that of nose, as this has inevitably been the conse- 

 quence of breeders sacrificing one property in an animal in their efforts to produce another 

 feature of excellence. We do not wish it to be imagined for a moment that we by any means 

 decry the acquisition of pace in a Pointer. A slow, pottering dog is enough to break an active 

 man's heart we admit ; but at the same time we reserve to ourselves the privilege of adding that 

 a Pointer without a nose is as bad as one who is deficient in pace. In field trials a fast dog 

 looks flash, and by his superior pace can cover more ground, and therefore increase his chance 

 of finding birds. The natural result of this is that such a dog defeats his slower but surer 

 companion, who keeps steadily plodding on throughout the trial, and would do so throughout 

 the day without a fault, and probably would wear his gay companion down in half a day. 

 That such a thing is done at every trial, a reference to the reports thereof will amply testify, 

 and this, we trust, will have the effect in time of causing steps to be taken to remedy the evil. 

 Field trials are such excellent institutions in themselves, if properly carried out, that every step 

 should be promptly taken to prevent fashionable prejudices from doing any injury to the class 

 of dog which is meant to be benefited thereby. 



Allusion has been already made to the colours of the ancient Pointer, and the ideas of 

 Mr. B. Thomas have been fully stated. In the present day, however, the markings of the 

 Pointer have increased in variety, and now we may reckon upon finding good specimens in 

 colour, black, white, lemon-and-white, orange-and-white, liver-and-white, and even an occasional 

 all-lemon dog. The entire number of whole-coloured dogs is, however, a very limited one, 

 and by far the most fashionable colours in the present day are the liver-and-white, lemon-and- 

 white, and orange-and-white, which may be taken as favourites in the order named. Caprice 

 is nevertheless chiefly responsible for the placing of one of these colours over another, and it is 

 only of recent years that the liver-and-white dogs have re-occupied the position we have given 

 them on the list. Personally we see little advantage in placing one colour over another, but 

 we certainly prefer parti to whole coloured Pointers, and most strongly object to a lemon-and- 

 white Pointer who carries a black nose upon his face. In our opinion this defect is simply a 

 disqualification, though authorities of position, we know, differ from us on the point ; but still we 

 remain unconvinced, believing that the majority of Pointer breeders agree with us in this 

 respect at least, and hold that a black nose is a decided blemish on this class of dog. 



Whilst on the subject of colour it may be noted that many admirers of the liver or liver- 

 and-white Pointer are accustomed to argue that he is in this point entitled to respect as more 

 closely resembling the old Spanish Pointer than the lemon-and-white or orange-and-white. 

 Still, when we take into consideration the crosses that have been admittedly introduced into 

 the breed we cannot see that much is to be gained by this argument, even if it is strictly 

 correct, which we have no means of proving. 



The liver-and-white Pointers, however, had previously been the popular dog, and this 

 certainly seems to support those who argue in favour of this colour. To Mr. Whitehouse, of 

 Ipsley Court, the greatest credit is due in connection with lemon-and-whites, which is a breed 

 he has succeeded in bringing to the highest pitch of perfection. His most famous dogs have 

 been Hamlet and Rap, but an enumeration of all this gentleman's many first-class Pointers 

 would be a task to any writer of a work on dogs which he could ill afford the space it would 

 consume. Mr. Whitehouse is recognised as one of the leading judges of the breed with which 

 his name has been so honourably identified, and the correctness of his decisions at the shows 

 where he officiates is recognised by all. 



