ENGLISH SETTERS 143 



heavy dogs of that strain were crossed with the very moderate 

 sisters of Dan, the produce was far better than either the sires 

 or dams. It was only when the three sorts were blended that 

 anything like uniformity, or a distinct breed, appeared, and the 

 offspring were far more true to type, and merit in work, when 

 the tail-male line was to Duke and the tail-female a Laverack, 

 than when the order was reversed. The Stud Book shows the 

 field trial winnings of the sort, and it will always be re- 

 membered that once, when the Field Trial Derby was a very 

 big stake, four setter puppies of this breed, belonging to Mr. 

 Llewellin, took the four first places in it that could fall to 

 setters. In other words, they put out all the other setters and 

 then defeated the best pointer. At other times they won the 

 brace stake one day, and one of the brace the single stake the 

 next. Then Count Wind'em and Novel on one occasion took 

 the two championships at Birmingham Show for good looks, 

 and beat the best pointers and setters at the National Trials as 

 well. Count Wind'em was about 25 inches at the shoulder, 

 long and low, and neither hot " muggy " weather in August, 

 nor hillsides of the steepest on which grouse lie, could tire him. 

 One field trial judge of the day who saw the way he did the 

 heather against such dogs as Dash II., and other winners of 

 the time, compared the sight to that of a great racing cutter 

 sailing round a 2O-rater. It was all done without an effort, 

 and therein lay the conserved energy that kept on as long as 

 any man could follow. 



In America this breed was first called the " Field Trial breed," 

 then " Llewellin setters," and also " The straight-bred sort," by 

 which it is generally known in conversation. At the time of 

 writing (June 1906) the last pure bred one of the race that has 

 run at an English field trial was Mr. Llewellin's Dan Wind'em, 

 bred in the last century. But in America nothing has ever been 

 able to suppress the pure bred ones at the field trials there. 

 When they have not won, their 90 per cent, of pure blood 

 descendants have done so. In 1904 the author was on a visit 

 to America, and, having been requested to help judge their 

 Champion Stake, did so, with the result that one of these pure 



