i8o The Sporting Dog 



learn to obey whistle and voice. The spaniel 

 style of hunting is with nose to the ground. The 

 style, with their short legs and heavy bodies, 

 makes their range limited; as, in fact, the pur- 

 pose of their breeding contemplates. It is not 

 desired that they travel wide. They penetrate 

 any cover and in a rough, tangled country can 

 rout out game better than most dogs. One who 

 likes and understands them can make them useful 

 and pleasurable in certain kinds of shooting. It 

 still remains true, however, that in America the 

 setter and pointer, even on grouse and woodcock, 

 are much more serviceable to the gun. 



When the tramp is the first motive and shoot- 

 ing an incident; when one is botanist by avoca- 

 tion and sportsman as bird or beastie may happen ; 

 when the wandering is for the sake of woods and 

 fields, with the contingency of knocking over a 

 cottontail or squirrel or grouse if it taunts the 

 eye and gun, then the sporting spaniel for me. 

 The cocker or field spaniel will get into less 

 trouble and make more entertainment than any 

 other dog. You can talk friendly gossip to him 

 and have always a responsive audience. Any- 

 thing that pleases your lazy hours to teach, he 

 will learn. You could not lose him if you tried. 

 He will watch while you sleep, and with nose, 

 ear, and brain most exquisitely acute. While he 

 is not a producer of big bags, his area of action 



