4-1 Ji 



CHATTER LV. 



THE NORFOLK SPANIEL. 



TllE last variety of the Springer family which we shall treat of is the Norfolk Spaniel, 

 which is a breed highly prized if met with pure, though there arc, comparatively speaking, 

 very few dogs of the variety which come under this category, as it has been very much 

 crossed with other breeds of Spaniels. Interesting as the Norfolk Spaniel most undoubtedly 

 is, there is not much in the way of pedigree for him to claim, though he is credited with 

 having been for years a frott'gi? of the Duke of Norfolk. Formerly he was much darker in 

 colour than now-a-days, for he had usually a great deal of black about him. Now the colour 

 mostly met with in dogs of this variety is liver-and-whitc, though good specimens of the 

 black-and-white variety are often to be met with. 



The Norfolk Spaniel' does not hunt mute ; on the contrary, he is disposed to throw his 

 tongue when questing ; but mute hunters have occasionally been known, though their appear- 

 ance is very uncommon. 



Youatt in his work gives his opinion regarding the origin of the Norfolk Spaniel, which 

 may be taken for what it is worth by admirers of the breed, as he appears to have devoted 

 but a very small portion of his time to the consideration of the Spaniel family. In speaking 

 of the Springer, in 1845, he wrote: 



" From a cross with the Terrier a black-and-tan variety was procured, which was cultivated 

 by the late Duke of Norfolk, and thence called the Norfolk Spaniel. It is larger than the 

 common Springer, and stauncher and stouter. It often forms a strong individual attachment, 

 and is unhappy and pines away when separated from its master. It is more ill-tempered 

 than the common Springer, and if not well broken in is often exceedingly obstinate." 



The above is the only theory which we can discover of the origin of the Norfolk Spaniel, 

 who unfortunately appears to have fallen into disrepute since the Blacks began to appear in 

 numbers. However, in the present day black-and-tan is by no means recognised as the 

 correct colour for a Norfolk Spaniel. On the contrary, this dog is, when found pure, most 

 usually a liver-and-white, the white spots being heavily flecked with liver, which gives 

 him a very handsome and showy appearance. A blaze of white up the forehead adds a 

 great deal to his beauty, and a white tip to his tail, which, as in other breeds, should be 

 docked short, is an additional attraction, though, of course, these may only be taken as 

 fancy markings, and would merely count as such in competition. 



The Norfolk Spaniel will be found no mean assistance to the sportsman in pursuit of water- 

 fowl, for he will take water readily, and retrieves well though hard in mouth. On land he is also a 

 very handy dog, and will face the thickest coverts pluckily, and may therefore be taken as a 

 valuable dog, whose breeding should be encouraged by sportsmen of all denominations. He is 

 not mute. 



