CHAPTER LIII. 



THE CLUMBER SPANIEL. 



THE next of the Spaniel family in order of merit is the Clumber Spaniel, whose long 

 association with many of the highest families in the land has fairly entitled him to rank as 

 the aristocrat of the tribe. The name by which he is known Clumber is unquestionably 

 derived from the seat of the Duke of Newcastle, where the breed has flourished for years, 

 and this has given rise to the impression amongst sportsmen that the Clumber Spaniel owes 

 his existence and origin to some early member of that illustrious house. This is scarcely 

 the fact, however, as we learn on the authority of Daniels that the breed was imported into 

 this country by a Duke of Newcastle, who acquired them from the Due de Nouailles many 

 years ago. It is nevertheless equally certain that the breed was for a long time treasured at 

 Clumber, and that it was extremely difficult for outsiders to gain possession of a specimen. 



As regards his origin little can be said, as it is veiled in obscurity ; but it may be 

 remarked that certain authorities have argued in favour of there being a remote cross of the 

 foreign Basset-hound in the Clumber Spaniel, though as far as our experience goes the 

 supporters of this theory have hitherto failed to substantiate their statements by any appeal 

 to facts. However, this theory has found its way into print, and may therefore be given 

 merely as a theory which has been propounded, and without any intention on our part to 

 support it. A great deal might be said on the antiquity of this variety by t^ose who are 

 disposed to attach importance to the possession of this attribute, for Edmund de Langley, 

 who wrote in the fourteenth century, described the Spaniel as coming out of " Spayn," and being 

 in colour white and tawny, with a large head and body. It therefore appears to us that it 

 would require a very slight stretch of imagination to connect the ancient Spaniel alluded to 

 by Edmund de Langley with the solemn-looking but patrician Clumber of the present day- 

 Nor would this reasoning in any way detract from Daniels' statement that the strain of 

 Clumber has originated from some dogs procured from the kennels of the Due de Nouailles. 

 On the contrary, it seems to be a support to it, as it is extremely likely that his dogs would 

 resemble in many respects the breed that, according to the "Maister of Game," existed in Spain 

 in the fourteenth century. Many authorities, no doubt correctly, connect the Clumber Spaniel 

 with the old Setting-dog, who was included by Dr. Caius, in his Spaniel chapter, under the 

 title of Index or Setter. In the present day, however, the duties of the Clumber Spaniel 

 unquestionably lie more in the direction of covert-shooting than driving birds in the open, 

 especially as both Setters and Pointers can readily be found who can manage the latter 

 business far better than the short- legged Spaniel can. 



In consequence of the jealousy with which the Clumber strain was formerly guarded by 

 the Dukes of Newcastle, it was a difficult matter to procure a specimen years ago, and, there- 

 fore, indifferent Clumbers fetched very high prices when in the market. Of recent years, 

 however, dogs of this variety can be more readily procured, and their value has sensibly 



