43O THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



Setter as practically the same breed, though, on other hands, a decided difference was stated to 

 exist between the two varieties. 



In 1820 John Scott produced the "Sportsman's Repository," in which he re-copied the 

 engraving of the Spaniel which appeared in William Taplin's work of 1803. This course 

 leads us to believe that in outward appearance there had been but little alteration in the 

 Spaniel during the twenty years which had passed over the breed. The dog which is 

 illustrated is portrayed in the act of flushing a woodcock, and is apparently of a liver-and- 

 white colour, with a long and rather lean head, and a palpable ripple in his coat. His stern, 

 if shortened at all, has certainly had but a very small portion of it removed, and his legs, 

 though nicely feathered, would be considered long if they belonged to a modern Spaniel. 

 From the appearance we should say it was meant to represent a dog of about twenty-five 

 pounds in weight, or perhaps a trifle more, and the inscription beneath the illustration 

 consists merely of the one word " Springer," no further particulars being given. John Scott 

 does not throw very much new light upon the subject of Spaniels, although he goes a little 

 further into the description of their points than former writers appear to have thought necessary. 

 He says : 



" Spaniels are generally rough-coated or long-flued, and in all probability such is one of 

 their original characteristics, the smooth coats of some being the consequence of a cross 



in the breed The true Spaniel is distinguished by the silkiness of his flue, his 



pendulous and fringed ear, clear eye, moist nose, and fringed tail A cry of 



Spaniels is not at present thought so essential as in former days ; indeed, many sportsmen of 

 the present day, whether in shooting or hunting habitually attached to the Pointer and Hound, 

 affect entirely to discard the babbling Spaniel. This, however, is too strong a prejudice, as 

 the utility of the Spaniel is undoubted in thick and difficult coverts, copses and runs, where 

 neither Pointer nor Setter can penetrate, nor, perhaps, even the large Springer, which partakes 

 too much of their nature and size for such puzzling and thorny labours. The small Spaniels 

 should yet have considerable substance and bone, and by no means be over-legged, and 

 granting them true bred, a little harshness of the coat is no disadvantage, as such are 

 more hardy and fearless of the thicket. The delicate and very small, or carpet Spaniels, 

 have excellent nose, and will hunt truly and pleasantly ; but are neither fit for a long day 

 or thorny covert. The grand, or questing, quality of the Spaniel is well known, and his con- 

 stant and bustling activity .... 



" The largest Springers were some years since, and probably may at present be, found 

 in Sussex. The Cockers are supposed to have originated in a cross between the Springer and 

 the small Water Spaniel, and are distinguished from the large Spaniel by a more compact, 

 rounder, and shorter, head, deeper and more curly flew, and larger ears. The Spaniel colours 

 are various yellow, liver-coloured, red, brown, white, black-tan with tanned legs and muzzle 

 these last hues denote a Terrier cross. The Springer is often crossed and deteriorated by the 



Hound and Pointer Twenty years ago His Grace the Duke of Marlborough was 



reported to possess the smallest and best breed of Cockers in Britain : they were invariably 

 red-and-white, with very long ears, short noses, and black eyes." 



So much for the opinions of Mr. John Scott, who appears to have derived many of 

 his ideas from Taplin and Edwards. The latter quotation, however, gives one piece of 

 information which we do not find in former writers, and that is, that bone and shortness 



