256 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 



spotted, sometimes with patches of brown or black. This breed is generally found 

 in the Campana of Eome. In English it is called Calabrian dog (?). They are a 

 very favourite breed, because they are so faithful and companionable. 



Besides the afore-mentioned breeds, the Professor gives the description of 

 sundry crosses of poodles with sheepdogs, Newfoundlands, &c. ; but these lack 

 interest, the crosses being decidedly removed and even doubtful, since in many cases 

 they are pure suppositions. I have, therefore, only given at some length those 

 details which are of interest. 



So much, then, for the eminent German professor's opinions on the poodle. 

 And now, what have the French authors to say about him ? First of all comes M. 

 Eevoil. M. Eevoil, who is considered a great authority on sporting matters in 

 France, published, some years ago, a book on dogs, entitled " Historie Physiologique 

 et Anecdotique des Chiens de toutes les Eaces" (E. Dentu, publisher, Paris), and in 

 this work, page 188, M. Eevoil classifies and justly so, of course the poodle with 

 spaniels; but he seems to think that on this side of the Channel we cultivate 

 particularly the breed of poodles for sporting purposes ; for he mentions them in a 

 breath with water spaniels and cockers, and gives the name "poodle" actually in 

 English ! Now, I have done as much wildfowl and other shooting as most men of 

 my age ; and I must acknowledge that, for one or two poodles that may be used by 

 British wildfowl shooters, a hundred nay, thousands perhaps are used by their 

 Continental confreres-, and certainly in England the poodle is but little used in 

 connection with that or any other branch of the art of fowling. In fact, one may 

 say, as a very general rule, that the poodle in England is almost universally either a 

 performing dog or a mere pet, or lap or companion dog, according to his size ; but 

 he is rarely employed as a sporting dog. 



Not so in the vast marshes of the Continent, and especially in those marais of 

 the French departments of the Pas-de-Calais, Nord, and Somme ; in Belgium, in 

 Holland, in Denmark, in Northern Germany, and in Eussia, where night-decoying 

 of ducks to the hut is extensively practised. As late back as January, 1872, an 

 article of mine appeared in Baily's Magazine, entitled " Duck-decoying in Abbeville 

 Marshes," wherein I related the performance of a celebrated poodle who accompanied 

 a French huttier and myself on our expeditions. Without him half our birds would 

 have been lost ; and this will become apparent when I state that at least half the 

 birds fired at are only winged or disabled, and thus, without a dog gifted with sense, 

 nose, and pluck, it would be perfectly impossible for the shooters, in the dead of the 

 night, to collect their game. This the poodle does, with a rapidity and intelligence 

 which are simply unsurpassable. In short, he is so well adapted for that sort of 

 work, that in French his generic name canlche is directly derived from duck 

 (canard). He is also called chien canne, which is quite as much a derivation; and 

 in some districts where the ooze abounds the name barbet is applied to him. This 

 word barbet is evidently a diminutive for barbotteur, i.e., a "mud-lark" a dog fond 

 of paddling about in the mud. 



For summer work the sporting poodle on the Continent is invariably clipped 

 from the middle of his back to his hocks, and the rest of his coat is simply trimmed ; 



