THE RLACK-TAN OR GORDON SETTER. 103 



In 1861 Mr. Burdett's Ned (son of Brougham) won the first prize 

 in an open class at Birmingham, after which a special class was 

 made for dogs of that color at Birmingham, London, and other 

 large shows, the breeders of English dogs fancying that the beauti- 

 ful color of the " Gordons " was too much in their favor. 



But, in spite of the above successes, it cannot be denied that the 

 general opinion of good sportsmen in the south has not been in 

 favor of the breed since the institution of field trials, in which it 

 has been brought into competition with the English and Irish set- 

 ter. Both Rex and Young Kent had shown marvellous powers of 

 scent, but exception was taken to their tiring action, and it must 

 be admitted that six hours' work was enough at one time for either 

 of them, and probably too much for Young Kent. Both dogs also 

 were headstrong, and required severe treatment to keep them 

 under command, and though neither showed the slightest disposi- 

 tion to unsteadiness on the point, yet both were jealous behind, 

 and it was difficult to make them work to hand. Among the num- 

 berless specimens of the breed (black-tan) which I have seen at 

 work, not one has shown the solicitude to catch the eye of the 

 shooter which is so essential to the perfect correspondence of man 

 and dog which ensures sport. The pointer or setter ought always 

 to know where his master is, and if put into high cov^ert, such as 

 beans, should raise his head at short intervals above them to ascer- 

 tain his whereabouts. Now, as far as my experience goes, black- 

 tan setters, and notably the Kents, never do this, and cannot be 

 taken off a scent without very great severity, until they have satis- 

 fied themselves of its fallacy. 



The points of the black-tan setter are very nearly the same as 

 those of the English dog, the only deviations being as follows : 



1. The skull is usually a little heavier than that of the English 

 setter, but in other respects it resembles it. 



2. The nose, also, is like the English setters ; but it is usually a 

 trifle wider. 



9. The flag is usually a trifle shorter than that of the English 

 setter, which it otherwise resembles in shape. 

 11. The coat is generally harder and coarser than that of the 



