NATURAL HISTORY OF THE DOG. 97 



nany intellectual and moral qualities by which it is character- 

 ized, and from its sagacity and affection. As the shepherd's 

 dog is the faithful friend of those in the humbler walks of 

 life, so are the Spaniels to " chiefs and ladies bright" to the 

 gentler sex, par excellence, and to those high in "honor and in 

 place." Examples of the good qualities of these dogs are 

 everywhere notorious. As the shepherd's dog represents the 

 "utile," so may these represent the "dulce." The former, 

 the rough and honest comrade of the rough and honest 

 peasant the latter, the associate of luxurious courtiers, and 

 of powerful princes ; but still, though moving amidst tinsel 

 and falsehood, never losing the primitive honesty and purity 

 of intention which characterizes its disposition. 



Spaniels are of several sub-varieties, amongst which I may 

 enumerate 



THE SETTER, OR LAND-SPANIEL. 



This Spaniel was first broken in to set partridges, and other 

 feathered game, as an assistant to the net, by Dudley, Duke 

 of Northumberland, A. D. 1335 ; and Mr. Daniel, in " Rural 

 Sports," gives a copy of a document, dated 1685, in which a 

 yeoman binds himself, for ten shillings, to teach a Spaniel to 

 set partridges and pheasants. That the Setter and the old 

 original Land-spaniel are identical, there can, therefore, be 

 no doubt. 



There are several varieties of Setter. The ordinary old 

 English Setter, with rather a square head and heavy chops, 

 looking as if he had a dash of Spanish pointer in him ; color 

 usually liver and white. The Irish Setter, narrower in the 

 head, finer in the muzzle, usually of a dun or yellow color. 

 This is a dog in very high esteem ; no trace of the pointer is 

 seen in him. These are the genuine, unmixed descendants 

 of the original Land-spaniel ; and so highly valued are they, 

 that a hundred guineas is by no means an unusual price for a 

 single dog. A very superior breed of these dogs, belonging 

 to Sir John Blunden, Bart., of Castle Blunden, in the County 

 Kilkenny, is described and figured in a work published some 

 time ago, by Jennings, London. There was also a celebrated 

 breed of these dogs now, I believe, extinct kept by that 

 ancient and noble Irish family, the O'Conors of OfFaly : those 

 belonging to the late Maurice O 'Conor were highly renowned, 

 and the breed is described by his grandson as yet remaining. 



The Scotch Setter stands high on his legs ; is usually black 

 and tan in color ; has the apex of the skull very prominent ; 



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