THE WATER SPANIEL. 911 
the degree of range or the work required; the smaller, 
however, being ordinarily preferable.”—In this point I do 
not agree with Mr. Youatt. The larger dog is, to my 
taste, the purer bred, the lesser being often interbred 
with the land-spaniel, and for American shooting in par- 
ticular, far superior. ‘“ Whatever be his general size, 
strength and compactness of form are requisite. His 
head is long, his face smooth, and his’ limbs, more devel- 
oped than those of the springer, should be muscular, his 
carcass round, and his hair long and closely curled.” 
In the best and purest breeds, while the face itself is 
perfectly smooth, the poll, the ears, and the sides of the 
neck are clothed so densely with long, soft, silky, curled 
hair, that the countenance appears to be set in an Eliza- 
bethan ruff, and the ears are absolutely ringletted. The 
only true colors of this dog are liver or liver and white. 
Any others indicate mixtures of foreign blood. 
“ Good breaking,” Mr. Youatt continues, “is more 
necessary here than even with the land-spaniel, and for- 
tunately it is more easily accomplished; for the water- 
spaniel, although a stouter, is a more docile animal than 
the land one. 
“ Docility and affection are stamped on his counte- 
nance, and he rivals every other breed in his attachment 
to his master. His work is double; first, to find when 
ordered to do so, and to back behind the sportsman when 
the game will be more advantageously trodden up. In 
both he must be taught to be perfectly obedient to the 
voice,” or dog call, “ that he may be kept within range, and 
may not unnecessarily disturb the birds. A more impor- 
