THE OLD WATER SPANIEL. 



457 



Cocker, but perhaps with more general length than the latter, as we have observed that dogs 

 with a reasonable length, swim with greater speed." These are the words of John Scott, 

 who seems to have been at considerable pains to gather all the information he could about 

 this variety of dog, of whom he speaks in terms of the highest praise. 



Youatt, writing in 1845, alludes to two varieties of the Water Spaniel (the Water-dog is 

 not alluded to by him except as a reference), both of which, he says, were popular with 

 sportsmen, though the small breed was the better liked. He describes the dog as follows, 

 and lays special importance on his compactness of form : " His head is long, his face 



WATER SPANIEL, FROM THE "SPORTSMAN'S CABINET." 



smooth, and his limbs more developed than those of the Springer should be muscular, his 

 carcase round, and his hair long and closely curled." 



Youatt further on confirms the impressions of John Scott as regards the original impor- 

 tation into this country of the Water Spaniel, for he says " the Water Spaniel was originally 

 from Spain, but the pure breed has been lost, and the present dog is probably descended from 

 the large Water-dog and the English Setter." It must be remembered that in the very 

 early part of the present century the Setter was in its. infancy as a breed, and that the 

 Spaniel was commoner, and more highly valued, and the more likely, therefore, to be adopted 

 for the cross. As Youatt does not give his authority for the statement that the Water-dog 

 was originally imported into the country, it may be taken as highly probable that he adopted 

 the idea which had been previously published by Scott, who, it is very likely, in his turn, 

 derived his ideas from Dr. Caius's work. 

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