The Gordon Setter 207 
hounds or cattle he got what setter crosses he wanted. His man would have 
to ride on horseback as the easiest mode of travel and the dogs or animals 
would have to walk. Yet Irish setter crosses are glibly talked about as if 
all that had to be done was to telephone or telegraph to Ireland to send 
over an Irish setter by express and look for it at the railway station the 
next day. 
Still another point is that the colour which was said to be the result 
of the introduction of the Irish blood was conspicuous by its absence in 
the setters sold in 1836, if we except the red and white puppy, and after 
that sale there was never any suggestion that Irish blood was being intro- 
duced. There is more food for thought in the fact of the impressive black 
and white setter from Mr. Osbaldestone going north in 1827, and seven of 
the eleven lots being of that colour. Red and white, it must be borne in 
mind, was a well established English spaniel and setter colour, and its 
presence in setters whose ancestors were a mixed lot might naturally be 
expected. 
Earty Enciish SHow Docs 
From “Idstone’s” comments on the dogs of his day we give what may 
be interesting to those who can trace back the pedigrees of their dog to these 
old-timers. He owned Kent, the leading prize-winner of the first shows, 
and he says he was weak in hind quarters and thick in shoulders, and that 
he probably imposed on judges by his rich colour and stature. His get 
were largely gun-shy. Reuben, illustrated by Stonehenge, was a dog of 
mark for coat, depth of chest and action. Lord Bolingbroke’s Argyle was 
to “Idstone’s” mind the best Gordon he ever saw. “He had a grand 
frame, powerful hocks and loin, and his neck and shoulders so long, well 
poised and muscular that he would have taken high rank anywhere. He 
was a narrow, deep-made, racing-looking dog, of true, pure Gordon blood, 
and I will engage there was no collie blood in him, though several of his get 
had the collie stern, which rather weakens my theory. I had one litter 
by him out of Ruby, which included those celebrated public winners, 
Argyle II., Boll and my bitch Regent, who was never beaten except by her 
mother. Regent was the most perfect Gordon I ever saw.” Except in coat, 
Moll was not so good as Regent. She was bred by Mr. Jobling and owned 
by Mr. Handy. The Marquis of Huntly owned two good ones in Silk and 
Young Kent; the latter was not fast, but a perfect field dog. Mr. Jobling’s 
