THE POINTER. 19 



on an average ; while not the least dependance can be placed on 

 the offspring of the very best dogs thus propagated. Excellent 

 pointers have been produced by the fox-hound and the Span- 

 iard ; and in all probability the fox-hound had much of the tal- 

 bot blood ; nor have I the least hesitation in supposing, that the 

 best pointers would be those bred from the talbot and the Span- 

 iard ; but since the former is nearly, if not altogether, extinct, 

 and as all hounds have been produced from him, and still retain 

 more or less of his blood, the nearer we can approach him the 

 better : therefore the deep-flewed hound is to be preferred ; the 

 kibble, and even lighter kinds of hounds, may answer the pur- 

 pose ; but what is thus gained in speed is not a sufficient com- 

 pensation for unsteadiness and an inferior nose. The Spaniard, 

 however, from having been judiciously crossed, has arrived at a 

 degree of perfection so as to leave little to be desired on this 

 head ; and excellent pointers are to be met with in most parts 

 of England. They differ from the setter inasmuch as when 

 they have approached sufficiently near the game, they stand 

 erect ; whereas the true bred setter will either sit upon his 

 haunches, or lie close to the ground generally the latter. It 

 may be also very justly remarked, that though a particular strain 

 of either the pointer or setter may have arrived at a great degree 

 of perfection ; yet, if continued on the same strain for a length 

 of time, it will degenerate ; in order, therefore, to prevent that 

 dwindling or falling off which would inevitably take place, re- 

 course must occasionally be had to other strains ; that is, to 

 dogs of the same kind, but bred in different parts of the king- 

 dom, taking care to choose animals of undoubted merit from 

 which to breed ; and in order to avoid the possibility of being 

 misunderstood, I must observe, that in thus giving directions for 

 preserving the requisite qualities in perfection, I do not mean in 

 this case, that recourse should be had to the talbot, fox -hound, 

 or any other kind of dog used for a distinct purpose, but merely 



