THE WATEK-SPANIEL. 171 



They are clothed with short curls all round, but no feather, as in 

 other spaniels. 



The feet are large, and inclined to spread, improving the swim- 

 ming powers considerably, but not tending to bear road-work. 



The coat is composed of short curls of hair, without any 

 approach to the woolliness of the poodle or to the silkiness of the 

 land spaniel and setter. 



As to colour, there is only one which belongs to the pure breed, 

 viz., a deep puce liver colour, without a white hair, except an 

 occasional white toe. 



With regard to symmetry, I do not think the dog has any high 

 claims to consideration. 



(B) THE NORTHERN IRISH WATEK-SPANIEL. 



This dog has short ears with little or no feather. The body 

 is covered with short crisp curls. His colour is an ordinary liver 

 or liver and white. The type is not settled clearly enough to 

 enable me to give any more definite description. 



(C) THE ENGLISH WATER- SPANIEL. 



Since 1859 I confess that I have gained no further knowledge 

 of this breed, and I must content myself with reprinting what I 

 then wrote, as follows: — 



Water-spaniels are commonly said to have web-feet, and this 

 point is often made a ground of distinction from other dogs, but 

 the fact is that all dogs have their toes united by membranes in 

 the same way, the only distinction between the water and land 

 dogs beirg that the former have larger feet, and that the mem- 

 brane between the toes being more lax, they spread more in 



