THE ENGLISH SETTEE. 



69 



punished in the fully broken dog by every means short of the whip. Most breakers, 

 and especially when preparing for field trials, are content to get a point, whether 

 false or true, since the practice usually has been, at public trials, to give the dog 

 credit for the point, if in the opinion of the judge game had recently gone away, 

 whether the dog has made out his mistake or not. But the experienced sports- 

 man is not content with such a mental defect, and expects his pointer or setter 

 to tell him clearly whether or no he is certain of a find. The nose should be 

 keen enough to make a dog stop in his gallop however slight the scent, and he 

 should even point ; but no sooner is the stop made, than he should set his brains 

 to work to discover the actual presence or absence of game, which is easily 

 made out by a clever dog, who soon finds the scent diminish if not kept up by 

 a fresh supply from the bird or ground game. To be able to say with certainty 

 that " Grouse " or " Duke " has game before him, and to march any distance to him 

 with confidence is a pleasure only equalled by the annoyance suffered, when after 

 a long march a blank is the result. Hence, I think it highly important that a 

 " false point " repeated more than once in a short trial should be regarded as 

 a fatal defect in selecting a dog or bitch for stud purposes. 



As to the third kind of false point arising from laziness alone, I need scarcely 

 remark that a dog exhibiting it is only fit for a hempen collar or a charge of shot. 



POINTS OF THE SETTER. The numerical value of the points in each breed 

 is the same, though the description in several of them will vary. I therefore 

 begin by allotting the following figures to each, referring my readers to the 

 three articles for their varying definitions. 



VALUE OF POINTS IN SETTEE. 



Value. 



Skull 10 



Nose 10 



Ears, lips, and 



eyes 4 



Neck . 6 ' 



30 



Value. 

 Shoulders and 



chest 15 



Back, quarters 



and stifles ... 15 



Value. 

 Legs, elbows, 



and hocks ... 12 

 Feet... 8 



30 

 Grand Total 100, 



20 



Value. 



Flag 5 



Symmetry and 



quality 5 



Texture of coat 



and feather 5 



Colour 5 



20 



THE ENGLISH SETTEE. 



Since the first publication of the articles on the various breeds of dogs in 

 the Field, during the years 1865-6, the strain of English setters known by the 

 name of " Laverack," from the gentleman who bred them, has carried all before 

 it, both on the show bench and in the public field trials which have been 

 annually held. For this high character it is greatly indebted to the celebrated 

 Countess, who was certainly an extraordinary animal, both in- appearance and at 

 work ; for until she came out the only Laverack which had shone to advantage 



