THE SPANISH POINTER. 129 



indication of a scent, showing the genuine catalepsy both "before" 

 and " behind." But this would have been a perfect nuisance on a 

 moor, and indeed was rather disappointing in the stubbles, for 

 more tban half their points were false, and yet, with a full 

 knowledge of this defect, we were obliged to walk up to them, 

 or leave every dog behind, like so many Chinese idols. These 

 dogs would remain on their point for an indefinite time, probably 

 till exhausted by want of food ; but I question whether in these 

 days any breed could be found in which a single specimen of 

 it would be depended on to stand even for half an hour. At 

 that time I have seen one pointer remain standing for upwards 

 of six hours at least. I left him standing without his master, 

 and found him there as I left him more than six hours afterwards 

 on my return along the same road. 



The old Spanish pointer, which is now quite extinct in this 

 country, was remarkable for a large, heavy head, very long, wide, 

 and square nose, pendant flews, large ears, slightly differing from 

 those of the bloodhound in shape, width, and thinness, but quite 

 as full, and with as much throatiness and dewlap as that dog. 

 Behind the shoulders, however, the shapes of the two are quite 

 different in character, though it would be difficult to point out 

 the variations to an uninitiated amateur. It is, however, in 

 the style of seeking their game that the two breeds differ most, 

 and it is on this point entirely that the pointer must rest his 

 claim to originality. The bloodhound (and indeed all hounds) 

 depends on the foot-scent primarily, though he will own the 

 body scent in the air when so strong as to prevail over that 

 adhering to the soil. On the other hand, the pointer, if 

 pure, disregards the foot-scent, and seeks for that of the body 

 with his head in the air. Every experienced shooting-man 

 expects this peculiar style of hunting in his pointers and setters, 



