THE IRISH SETTEE. 85 



1875. As remarked above, no strain but that of the Hon. D. Plunket has been 

 tried in the field ; and, as that has done great credit to the brood in the shape of 

 Mr. Macdona's (afterwards Mr. Llewellin's) Plunket, his daughter Music, and his 

 sons Marvel and Kite, I prefer a portrait of one of this tried strain to that 

 of any dog not similarly tested. Both Plunket and his daughter Music were too 

 small to serve as a type, while Kite and Marvel have faults which render them 

 equally unfit for that purpose. Fortunately, however, I have been able to meet 

 with a grand specimen of the breed in an own brother to Plunket, which Mr. 

 Macdona has recently obtained from Ireland, and which has never yet been shown. 

 The faithful portrait of this dog presented herewith speaks for itself as to his 

 external shape ; but for his performances it is necessary to look to his brother 

 Plunket, except that I have ascertained on good evidence that in private he has 

 been tried to be first class. In colour he is of a beautiful rich red with scarcely 

 any white; while he possesses a frame of great size, symmetry, and substance, 

 with good legs and feet. He is thus fit to show in any company ; but, as I have 

 not been able to compare him with the celebrated Palmerston, and must depend on 

 memory alone, I do not pretend to settle their respective merits from a show-bench 

 point of view. 



The high form of Plunket and his stock in the field is well known to all who 

 have seen the various field trials of 1870-73 ; and for stud purposes his own brother 

 may be considered as identical with himself. Mr. Baker's drawing of Rover is 

 almost as exact as a photograph, and in particular his rendering of the head is 

 wonderfully good, and shows the character of the breed extremely well. Plunket 

 first appeared at Shrewsbury in 1870 as a puppy, when he was placed second to 

 Mr. Statter's Bruce, by Dash (a Laverack dog) out of Rhoebe. In his first trial 

 he was described in the Field as going in fine style, but was afterwards beaten 

 on a bare piece of ground by Bruce, who showed a better nose. He was then 

 so much admired by Mr. Purcell Llewellyn that he gave 150Z. for him. In the 

 autumn of the same year he won the all-aged stake at Vaynol without much 

 competition, and he was described in the Field as " greatly improved in appearance, 

 having lost none of his grand dash and style," and as having " gained in staunch- 

 ness." In 1871 he seems to have been out of form at Southampton, being beaten by 

 Capt. Venner's Dandy, a grand dog, in the single stakes, and only dividing the 

 second prize in the braces. In the following week he was still more unsuccessful 

 at Shrewsbury; but, nevertheless, "he completely outpaced March," who defeated 

 him in the single stake, and, though going better in the braces, lost his chance from 

 the bad performance of his companion Shot. At Vaynol in the next autumn, 

 he was selected by Mr. Purcell Llewellyn as the companion of Countess in the 

 Bodfill Stakes for braces ; and here, with the exception of two slight mistakes, 

 their performance was described as "faultless," making the large score of ninety 

 nevertheless, and winning easily. He also won the Borough Stakes, going " even 

 better than before, and not making a single mistake." Finally at Vaynol in 1872 

 he appeared with his son Marvel in the braces, and was second_to Countess and 

 Nellie, beating Mr. Statter's Rob Roy and Belton. The description given was that 



