DOG. 43 



and we must simply accept him as the oldest representative of the 

 dogs used in the pursuit of birds, without indulging in profitless 

 speculations of his ancestry. 



Many varieties of the spaniel are now in existence. Originally 

 all were field-dogs, but fashion has of late years drawn a dividing- 

 line, and the smaller breeds are assigned to the non-sporting class 

 Practically this is no loss, as sufficient are left to meet all demands 

 for work, and the surplus may be utilized as pets, and bred down 

 to a size and delicacy suitable for this purpose, without injury to 

 the interests of sportsmanship. 



THE HOUND. 



What in common parlance are known as hounds, are also found 

 in great varieties; but sporting law has invaded the ancient di- 

 vision and struck out of it some of its members. It may seem 

 strange to the uninitiated that the greyhound is no longer regarded 

 as a hound proper, and that the deerhound is classed among the 

 retrievers, but the modern limitation of hounds includes only those 

 which hunt and kill their game by scent alone, and as the grey 

 hound hunts by sight, and the deerhound is used only to follow 

 the wounded quarry and bring it to bay, these dogs by the pecu- 

 liarity of their employments are excluded from the hound class. 

 The hounds which conform to the present limitation are the blood- 

 hound, the foxhound, the harrier, the beagle, and the otter-hound, 

 and of those in this class which are used in this country we shall 

 speak at the proper time. 



THE RETRIEVER. 



This term applies only to dogs bred and kept exclusively for re- 

 trieving game, and does not properly include dogs which are taught 

 to perform this duty in connection with their other field work. 

 In England field-dogs are not as a rule allowed to retrieve, but in 

 this country it is the custom of sportsmen to break their setters, 

 pointers, and spaniels to retrieve, and so save the loss of much 

 game or the employment of special retrievers. In England the 



