DOGS 493 
durance without the usual supply of water, but this is 
the rare exception, and furnishes no data on which to 
formulate any rule applicable to either breed. 
It is claimed as a point of superiority for the setter, 
that his longer, protecting coat enables him to take 
punishing cover much better than the pointer can. The 
claim is fallacious. Many setters are quite intent on 
saving their precious skins when working where there: 
is brush or bramble; on the other hand, many pointers 
will face punishing cover without flinching. This 
phase of work is dependent on the dog’s individual 
courage and his love of hunting, naturally possessed, 
much more than upon the physical attribute of coat. 
Some dogs can go through cover without much suffer- 
ing, while others are punished severely. Some dogs 
are continually suffering injuries under any condi- 
tions. It all resolves itself into whether the dog tries 
to save his skin, or is so stupid and awkward that he 
cannot do so. 
As to the general traits of the two breeds, the pointer 
is much the greater glutton on opportunity, is much 
more likely to go stale, and so remain indefinitely, from 
overwork, and to lose his dash and industry in middle 
life. Asa breed, the pointer does not display the fire, 
endurance and sharp quickness in his bird work that 
the setter does, and so is greatly handicapped in field- 
trial competition. However, he takes to pointing much 
earlier in life, and more naturally, than the setter, and 
therefore is much easier to train, and retains his train- 
ing much better. 
