58 SHOOTING SETTERS. 



and grace of attitude ; in variety of colour and elegance 

 of clothing ; no animal of his species will at all bear 

 comparison with him. As the respective merits of 

 the pointer and the setter, however, have long heen a 

 mooted question among sportsmen, we have much 

 pleasure in laying before the reader the opinion on 

 this subject of one of the most experienced authorities 

 in England. We speak of Mr. Lang, the well-known 

 gunmaker of the Haymarket, to whom we are indebted 

 for the subjoined letter on that interesting inquiry : 

 " Having had considerable experience in breeding 

 from some of the first kennels in England, Ireland, 

 and Scotland amongst them those of the late Duke 

 of Gordon, Captain Ross, Mr. OsbaMeston, and other 

 celebrated sportsmen; and having also spent many 

 years, and much money, in the endeavour to produce 

 a superior description of pointers and setters; an 

 account of my progress may be useful. I begin with 

 my opinions concerning pointers, by stating, where I 

 consider them superior, and where inferior, to setters. 

 Pointers are better for partridge shooting, as they are 

 milder in disposition, more tractable, and closer 

 rangers ; the latter a property of all others the most 

 desirable, if you want to kill birds after the first fort- 

 night in the season. They want also less water than 

 setters, who often suffer much in hot weather in 

 districts where it is not to be found. True, pointers 

 require more walking to, to beat their ground properly ; 

 but I am persuaded, that if, instead of racing through 

 the middle of a field as though they were walking for 



