THE POINTER, 193 
cially such as have been much shot over by sure killers, 
often acquire and carry to a ludicrous extent, 
The true form of the very best kind of English 
pointer is so well laid down by “Stonehenge” in his 
“ British Rural Sports,” that I cannot do better than to 
quote the passage entire. 
“The points by which these dogs are generally chosen, 
are—First, the form of the head, which should be wide, 
yef flat and square, with a broad nose, pendulous lip and 
a square tip; the pointed tip indicating too great a cross 
of the foxhound or greyhound. Secondly, a good set of 
legs and feet, the former strait and bony, and well set en 
at the shoulder, and the latter round and the pads hard 
and horny. Thirdly, a strong loin and good general devel- 
opment, with sloping shoulders. Fourthly, a fine stern, 
small in the bone and sharp at the point, like the sting of 
a wasp, and not curved upward. This form of stern, with 
a vigorous lashing of it from side to side, marks the true- 
bred pointer as much as any sign can do; and its absence 
distinguishes the foxhound cross, which gives a very hairy 
stern, with a strong curve upward and carried over the 
back; or the too great amount of greyhound blood, 
marked by a small stern also, but by one whose diminution 
commences from the very root; while the genuine pointer’s 
is nearly of the same size, till within a few inches of the 
point, when it suddenly tapers off. Great injury has often 
been done by breeding in-and-in for many generations of 
pointers. A sportsman begins life by obtaining a brace 
which do their work to perfection, and he is the admiration 
and envy of all his sporting friends as long as they last, 
9 
