THE SETTER. 23 



the mountain. To hunt in company in a satis- 

 factorv manner, he must be continually at Avork 

 in all weathers, and in all seasons, or he is not to 

 be depended on ; and pointers being quite as 

 easily procured as setters, and, moreover, possess- 

 ing superior nose, with every other quality to re- 

 commend them to the sportsman (save, perhaps, 

 the povrer of endurance) they are to be preferred ; 

 and I unhesitatingly recommend all shooters not 

 to plague themselves with setters. 



If, indeed, only one dog be kept, a setter may 

 be tolerated ; and he w^ill, if a well-bred one, work 

 all day and almost every day; but he will do 

 notliing that a pointer will not do in a superior 

 manner, save that he will go over more ground : 

 I am speaking of the setters of the present day. 



The breed of old English setters has been for 

 many years extinct, or nearly so. How the 

 modern setter originated it would be somewhat 

 difficult to say. One characteristic of the breed, 

 be the colour what it may, is great beauty of form 

 and action, far surpassing any of the canine race. 

 In these the setter is pre-eminent over his smooth- 

 coated rival, but inferior in everything else. 



THE RETRIEVER. 



The Newfoimdland dog, crossed with almost anv 



