The Irish Setter 177 
so just so long as the prejudice or animosity against them in this country 
continues to exist. Let the reader put himself in this position for a moment. 
Suppose he wanted to import a dog suitable for almost any work a setter 
is called upon to perform, and with a view of a run in a field trials meeting 
if all went well. He would naturally turn to the foreign sources of infor- 
mation and he would find such facts as I am now about to give. 
“The first Irish setter to gain prominence in field trials was Plunket, 
a dog placed on a very high level by that eminent authority Stonehenge 
in summing up the merits of all the field trials winners up to 1878. ‘Ranger 
may be classed Ar among field trials winners in a quintet including Drake, 
Countess, Dash II. and Belle; the Irish setter Plunket approaching them 
very nearly, but not quite reaching their level.’ Later on he says regarding 
the great Dan, the half—or quarter is it—foundation of the Llewellyns: 
‘I have no hesitation in placing him below the first class; but possibly he 
is entitled to rank in the second along with Plunket and his son and daughter, 
Kite and Music (Irish), together with Kate, Rex and Lang (Gordons).’ 
Thus we have of the ‘Old Guard’ of field trials performers, three Irish 
named in the list of twelve best performers, with but one pointer in the lot. 
“Subsequent to that summing up we had ‘the beautiful’ Aveline, as 
she was called; she has been already referred to and the story of her great 
work need not be repeated. Airnie, by a son of Frisco out of a daughter of 
Cocksure,won the Puppy Stakes at the English K. C. Trials, and by defeating 
a pointer became the winner of the Derby; second, third and fourth in the 
Puppy Stakes also going tothe Irish. Airnie was also second at the National 
Trials; second in the St. Leger Stakes and Irish Setter Puppy Stakes at the 
Irish Grouse Trials in the same year, and second the following year in the 
All-Ages Stakes at the same meeting. She was bred by Col. J. K. Milner, 
who owned her sire and dam. Cocksure, it must not be forgotten, was 
also the sire of Mac’s Little Nell, winner of First Puppy 1885, Second All- 
Ages and Brace Stakes 1886, Irish Grouse Trials; Second All-Ages English 
K. C., 1888; First All-Ages, and Brace Stakes, Irish Grouse Trials, 1889; 
Second All-Ages and Third Grand All-Ages, same club, 18go. 
“Tsinglass, the only Irish setter at the National Trials in 1893, was 
second to Fancy Fair, beating Mr. Llewellyn’s Jessie Wind’em. He was 
also second for the Setter Derby, and second for the Puppy Stakes. At the 
Irish Trials he won the St. Leger Stakes for Irish setters and was third 
in the All-Ages Stakes for all breeds. Isinglass was by Wrestler, the dog 
