THE DALMATIAN. 



93 



The Dalmatian has another trait in his have been taken to train them systematic- 

 character which is in his favour, for, although ally for gim-work. 



not classed among sporting breeds, he is 

 decidedl}' useful as a sporting dog, and 

 from his similarity in shape and build to 



FONTLEROY 



a small-sized Pointer, he is well qualified 

 to undergo the fatigue of a hard day's 

 shooting. Although he is not quite so 

 keen-scented nor so staunch as the Pointer, 

 he yet has manj- of the same attributes, and 

 when trained — which is, un- 

 fortunately, all too rare an 

 occurrence — he is of valu- 

 able service in the field. 

 Experience has proved, how- 

 ever, that he prefers fea- 

 thered to ground game, or, 

 at least , that he seems to 

 find and take more notice 

 of partridges and pheasants 

 than of hares. 



The earliest authorities 

 agree that this breed was 

 first introduced from Dal- 

 matia, and it has been 

 confidently asserted that he 

 was brought into this coun- 

 try purely on account of 

 his sporting procU\'ities. Of 

 late years, however, these 



So far as can be ascertained, the first ot 

 the variety which appeared in the show 

 ring v.as Mr. James Fawdry's Captain, in 

 1873. At that period they were looked 

 upon as a no%'elty, and, though the gene- 

 rosity and influence of a few admirers 

 ensured separate classes being pro\-ided 

 for the breed at the leading shows, it did 

 not necessitate the production of sucli per- 

 fect specimens as those which a few years 

 afterwards won prizes. At the first they 

 were more popular in the North of England 

 than in any other part of Great Britain. 

 It was at Kirkby Lonsdale that Dr. James's 

 Spotted Dick was bred, and an early ex- 

 ploiter of the breed wlio made his dogs 

 famous was Mr. Newbj' Wilson, -of Lake- 

 side, Windermere. He was indebted to Mr. 

 Hugo Droesse, of London, for the founda- 

 tion of his stud, inasmuch as it was from 

 Mr. Droesse that he purchased Ch. Acrobat 

 and Ch. Beroliua. At a later date the famed 

 Coming Still and Prince IV. were secured 

 from the same kennel, the latter dog being- 

 the progenitor of most of the best liver- 



MR. 

 Plwtoc 



: PROCTORS BALETTE by ch. 



fiJ: by Higmtt ami Son. Lostock. 



LORD QUEX PAMELA. 



dogs have so far degenerated as to be spotted specimens that have attained noto- 



looked upon simply as companions, or as riet\' as prize-\\'inners down to the present 



exhibition dogs, for only very occasion- day. 

 ally can it be found that any pains Probably there was never a more sensa 



