THE IRISH SETTER. 415 



sportsmen do not wish to be bothered, nor have they the time, in- 

 clination or estate to-keep a large kennel of dogs. What is re- 

 quired in our country for the field sportsman is a good all round 

 dog, an animal that will be staunch on ruffed grouse, woodcock, 

 quail and snipe ; not that he would be particularly grand on either 

 game, but his action, ranging and nose should be fair, and give 

 help, amusement, and a medium bag to the shooter. When gen- 

 tiemen talk of pedigree, blood, performance, grand high-headed 

 action in the field, it is a very different kind of animal to the ordi- 

 nary sportsman's dog (we should all wish to own this style of setter, 

 but how few there are). This dog on account of his rarity and great 

 value, is only to be found in the hands of the careful breeder, and 

 is usually kept wholly and solely as a stud dog or brood bitch. We 

 should advise the breeder not to handle his breeders to retrieve, 

 but when the progeny have been sold, it is the business of the field 

 sportsman to train, break, and develop his retrieving qualities. 

 The yearling of the above description should be thoroTiighly broken 

 in one long season's shooting. How many setters could be sold 

 to-day, however well trained and broken, if they were deficient in 

 retrieving .' 



Certain schedules of points have been adopted for each kind 

 of dog, by which judges are governed ; and as these are sufficiently 

 specific to afford a proper idea of what a dog should be, we are 

 content to print them here without further comment. The formula 

 for the English Setter, as given by Stonehenge, is as follows : 



Value. Value. 



Skull ". 10 Feet 8 



Nose 10 Flag 5 



Ears, lips, and eyes 4 Symmetry and quality 5 



Neck 6 Texture of coat and feather s 



Shoulders and chect 15 Color 5 



Back, quarters, and stifles 15 



Legs, elbows, and hocks 12 Total 100 



THE IRISH SETTER. 



Of this breed of Dogs, " Idstone " says in London Field : 

 This breed has long been known to sportsmen throughout 

 Great Britain as a good one, especially in point of stamina, and a 

 class was Set apart for it at Birmingham in i860, a year before the 



