DOGS USED IN SPORT 61 



The Irish Setters are higher on the leg than their Eng- 

 lish cousins, although, in most respects, the conforma- 

 tion of body is precisely the same in both breeds. Head 

 long and narrow, muzzle square, lips moderately deep, 

 ears fine, set low and lying well back, giving a domed 

 appearance to the skull ; " stop " well defined, eyes rich 

 hazel or dark brown, soft and expressive. Chest deep 

 and ribs well sprung ; shoulders clean and sloping ; loin 

 somewhat arched, broad and muscular. Coat, lustrous 

 and rather plentiful, rich, dark red, with a golden tinge, 

 no white allowable, except a star on head or chest. 



The Retriever. — This breed is practically divided 

 into two varieties, one called The Flat, Smooth, or 

 Wavy-coated, and the other the Curly; both, as a 

 rule, are black, but as far as my experience of them 

 goes, more specimens " other than black " are seen 

 amongst " the Curlies " than the others, but I think, 

 undoubtedly, blacks, of either variety, are the hand- 

 somest. Both breeds have been brought to a great 

 point of perfection. In the Flat-coated, Mr. S. E. 

 Shirley and Colonel Cornwall-Legh, and in the Curly- 

 coated, Earl Melville and Mr. S. Darbey, can show 

 teams to make a sportsman " tear his hair; " often and 

 often, one of these varieties has taken the coveted prize 

 for the " best sporting dog in the show," and they are 

 remarkable amongst the many charming breeds of sport- 

 ing dogs bred and established in this country, for their 

 very " matching character," so that, a high bred lot of 

 either variety have a wonderful family likeness, and on 

 the many occasions when I have had to take part in 



