DOGS 489 



tains internal evidence tending to show that it is spu- 

 rious ; that is to say, there are only four and five gen- 

 erations given to cover a period of about forty years, 

 showing that much of the breeding was done when 

 the dogs and bitches were old, and ordinarily, in many 

 instances, past the years of reproduction. Neverthe- 

 less, the Laverack setter, when at his best, was beauti- 

 ful in physique and a grand worker. 



The pure Laverack setter, in the years near the end 

 of Laverack's life, became very delicate and difficult 

 to rear. The mortality was extremely high. At the 

 time of Mr. Laverack's death he died in 1877 he 

 had nearly lost the breed. There probably is not a 

 pure Laverack setter in existence to-day, but its blood 

 predominates in the Llewellin setter. 



The colors of the English setter are orange and 

 white, liver and white, black and white with tan mark- 

 ings, roan, lemon and white, black and white ticked 

 with large black splashes, known as blue Belton a des- 

 ignation first employed by Laverack, naming it after 

 a village in Northumberland County, England and 

 solid colors, liver, black, white, orange, lemon, though, 

 as solid colors are difficult to distinguish when the dog 

 is working afield, parti-colors are more desirable. 

 Dogs should weigh from forty-five to sixty-five pounds, 

 and bitches a few pounds less. A dog, when too light 

 in weight, finds great difficulty in heavy going, whether 

 mud or dense vegetation. 



The origin of the Irish setter is unknown. He un- 

 doubtedly originated very far back in the past. While 



