478 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



In view of his special aptitude for work in cover 

 and rough country, the spaniel should fit in usefully 

 in many sections of Canada, New England, Pennsyl- 

 vania, etc., for woodcock and ruffed grouse shooting. 

 Yet, even in those sections, the stretches of open game 

 country are so numerous, though contiguous to cover, 

 that much of the best shooting ground is beyond the 

 capabilities of the spaniel. Thus the advantages and 

 disadvantages average up in such a way that in the 

 compromise as to methods the setter and pointer have 

 the preference. 



In open country, where range is an essential to suc- 

 cess, the spaniel has no standing as a worker. As he 

 ranges close, from compulsion, and flushes his birds 

 when he finds them, it is quite obvious that in a prairie 

 or open country he could not meet the requirements. 



In bench show competition, and as a house dog, the 

 spaniel shines as a favorite. Some years ago his ad- 

 mirers made a vigorous attempt to organize spaniel 

 field trials in the United States, but the effort resulted 

 in failure. However, in England, spaniel trials have 

 been held with more or less success. 



The foregoing remarks, in the main, apply to field 

 and cocker spaniels, but there are several other breeds 

 used for field work, chief of which are the Clumber 

 spaniel, a dog of heavy physique, slow and mute in 

 his work, and easily broken to work to the gun. The 

 Sussex spaniel is a dog of hardy constitution, a good 

 all-round worker, much prized at one time in England 

 for his superior usefulness afield. The English springer 



