EARLY NOTICES OF SPA\IELS. 427 



mingled colours incline to a marble blewe, which bewtifyeth their skinnes and affordeth a 

 seemely show of comlynesse. These are called French dogges as is aboue declared already." 



A peculiar feature in the remarks of Dr. Cains is that he appears to be in doubt 

 whether or no there was more than one breed of Spaniels in the country. From the manner 

 in which he speaks of " othersome of them " that were " reddishe and blackishe " it might be con- 

 cluded that he was of the opinion that these were distinct varieties in themselves, but did not 

 like to say so positively ; though he had no hesitation in stating that a new variety was imported 

 from France. Whilst alluding to the work which Dr. Caius wrote, we may add that he, in another 

 portion of that work, describes the water Spaniel as another breed ; but this will be remarked upon 

 in the chapter on the water Spaniels, later on. The only classification which, it appears, was 

 made between land Spaniels in the days of Dr. Caius was regulated by the work they were called 

 upon to carry out, and the idea was prevalent for a considerable period that this was the only 

 desirable method of distinguishing the classes from each other. 



In " Icones Animalium " there are two illustrations of Spaniels given, one of the water 

 Spaniel and the other of some small-sized dogs, not much bigger apparently than the modern 

 Toy Spaniel, but displaying, a distinct difference of type, as one is long-faced and the other 

 decidedly short in muzzle. The latter illustration has been given in the chapter on Toy Spaniels, 

 and the other will be found under water Spaniels, later on. 



Nicholas Cox, writing in the "Gentleman's Recreation," in 1697, alludes to the value 

 of the Spaniel as a sporting dog in the following words : 



" How necessary a thing a Spaniel is to falconry, and for those that delight in that 

 noble recreation, keeping hawks for their pastime and pleasure, I think nobody need question, 

 as well as to spring and retrieve a fowl being flown to the mark, and also divers other ways 

 to help and assist falcons and goshawks. . . . It is necessary for several reasons to cut of 

 the tip of a Spaniel's stern when it is a whelp. ' First, by doing so worms are prevented from 

 breeding there ; in the next place, if it be not cut he will be the less forward in pressing 

 hastily into the covert after his game ; besides this benefit, the dog appears more beautiful." 



The custom of docking Spaniels' tails has been kept up until the present day, and in 

 spite of the ill-advised proceedings that have been taken against persons detected in the act 

 of removing dogs' tails, it appears likely to be continued. We cannot altogether agree with 

 Nicholas Cox in his opinion that the beauty of a dog is improved by the removal of his tail, 

 though we freely admit that, when a usage is established by custom, any new departure from it 

 has the temporary effect -of making the animal appear singular and possibly clumsy. Still, his 

 remarks upon the benefit which this custom confers, in the comfort of a dog who has to work in 

 brushwood, are recognised as perfectly correct by a vast majority of modern sportsmen. The same 

 writer mentions that the land Spaniel can be trained as a setting-dog, and doubtless in his time 

 the Setter was to all intents a Spaniel, as we have before attempted to prove in the Setter chapter. 

 Nicholas Cox describes the land Spaniel as " being of a good and nimble size, rather small than 

 gross, and of a courageous mettle, . . . lusty and nimble rangers, of active feet, wanton tails, 

 and busie nostrils. Whose tail was without weariness, their search without changeableness, and 

 whom no delight did transport beyond fear or obedience." 



This high character given to the Spaniel appears to have been fully e-ndorsed by 

 other writers, all of whom are unanimous in declaring him to be the most useful dog to 



