JA3TOABT », 1881.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



453 



TiAesACBva^TTS—FaU JRiver, Dec. 28.— At a shoot held by the 

 F. R. Gun Club, Saturday, Dec. 28, the following scores ware 

 made. Card rotary trap, 18 yards ; 



First Matci. Ten Balls. 



E.W. Bufflnton ao J.J. Farwell „.„.,....« 



W.J. BriilPy-.i.i..., 10 J.JkL Wood H 6 



B.B. NleUols 8 J. Butler 5 



.T. B. Valenilne, 8 P. E. Borden .6 



H. U. Kead s J. Borden, .Jr ■. 3 



H. C.Brale.v s s. Allen i 



T. Stanley « W, B. Bui-Xee, ,Tr 1 



T.S.nall 6 



Second MaWh. plve Balls. 



E. \v. Bufflnton 5 B.D. SlCliols S 



W. J.Braley 6 j. Borden, Jr 3 



T.S.Hall 6 H.H. Heart 4 



a. C. Brnloj' 5 S. Allfiii ■■' 



,r. Hatlmwny 5 p. B. Bonl.u '; 



F.Mucomber 5 j.VnicuUue 'i 



J.J.PaiTvell i J. liuilfT -...1 



O. DnbOls 1. ............ .1. A J. M. Wotni 1 



Third Match. 'I'l^" i""i« 



E. W. BluHnton ...in valentine t; 



U. C. Braley , fl Alien 6 



P. E. Borden 8 Farwell ,s 



P. S. Halt H W.J. Braley B 



J. Borden,J-r T Butiols-.. ......* 



H. H. Bend 6 



Foiu-th Match— Team MatcJi. 'I'en Bn 1 is . 



K. W. Bnmnton, CS.pt 10 )!. C. F.mlpy, Capt 6 



W.J. Braley.... ......... .......1" J- .1. Fiirweli 9 



T.S. UttU 10 J.Borrien, .Ir 9 



P. E. Bordeu. 9 B. D. NicUola ...8 



.), Hathaway .-., B H. Fields s 



S. Allen T J.B.Valentine ....T 



H. H.Kead 5 J. Butler 2 



69 



49 



Flttu .Mai.cli— Miss and Out.— Farwell, S; H. C. Braley, TjW. J. 

 Braley, 6; Bufflntou, 4, nail, 4; Valentine, 4; J. Borden, Jr., S; 

 Butler, 2. 



Mr. E. w. Btinnnton made a score of ea oonseoutlTO broken balls, 

 mJs,<^lng his 53d hall. T. S. H. 



Physiouvnn of all Sohoola use and recommend Hop Bitters ; take 

 their advice. 



Eaateru Field Trials Club— Aumtal Meeting for election of of- 

 ficers Janna,ry 11. 



Pittsbnrgh Dog Show— Pitt«buTgh. I'a., January 17, IS and 19, 

 1881. Entries close January 6. G. B. Elben, Secretary ; Charley 

 Lincoln, Superintendent. 



THE COCKER CLUB. 



AT the solicitation of numerous correspondents, who are 

 intere-sted in the proposed formation of a Cocker 

 Club, seconded '.by the request of 3Tr. Geo. I). Macdougall, 

 ■who has found Ihc necessary correspondcDCC much uiore 

 TOlmninous than was anticipated and ;i serious tax upon Ms 

 lime, the Fobb.st and Stbeam will undertake to do tlie nec- 

 essary -work preliniinarj' to the actual formation of the 

 committee. 



T)ic. purposes for which the Cocker Club will be organized 

 have already been set forth in these columns. 



Wliat we propose to do is this : 



1. To receive the names of all persons who will express 

 their willingness to join the Club. Having secured these, 



2. To forward the list to each individual, that from it he 

 may select ten candidates for a committee of seven, who shall 

 then lake entirely into their hands the further work of organ- 

 ization ; the seven men receiving the highest number of votes 

 to be declared elected. 



It wiU lie understood that we are the passive ui^ents to fa- 

 cilitate (lie progress of the Club, and will have nothing to do 

 with influencing itB character or raerabership. We shall at- 

 tempt siuiply to perform the labor so Laudably undertaken at 

 first hy Mr. Macdougall, and had not that gentleman declined 

 10 act further we should not have assumed the task. 



We trust that our call for the names of all sportsmen who 

 are interested in the subject wUl be met by early and numer- 

 ous responses. 



Send us your own name and the names of those of yotu- 

 friends who axe interested. 



MOBE ABOUT THE COCKER. 



AS the " Cockf-T-Spaniel " is justl}' becoming llu' fashion- 

 able dog. and as every one seems interested in obtain- 

 ing some standard by which they may be properly judged in 

 the future, the opinion of an unprofessional, though a lover 

 of good dogs, may not at this time be out of place. 



For several yeais past T have been interested in spaniels, 

 and have given some attention to them both in the kennel 

 and the field. As a result of this experience I am satisfied 

 that ;i '^pauiel will do as much work, in Oliio, on turkeys, 

 erouse, (lu-M. \vr«„\i'. ,rk. snipe and ducks as a dog of any 

 other bt' I : lie laiight, aeeording to the prefer- 



ence of I ' lioiiit like a pointer or give tongue 



when the\ ; in j nn', and are. withal, sucfi busy little 



beings Ihat it is u LMe.it, iijeasine to sliool over them. 



■A dog of the kind 1 have raenlioned above I would call a 

 cocker-spaniel, in the absence of a better name. 



Cocker spaniels I would have divided into two cla.sses. 



Ist. Dogs thai give tongue. 



2d. Dogs Unit pnint. 



The weight of these dogs should be : For males in gocai 

 condition, from 37 to 33 pounds; for females, from 85 to 30 

 pounds. The color should be liver black, lemon, or a combi- 

 uation of white with any of these colors. The coatshouldbe 

 niodemleiy long, slightly w.ivy but not curly, and not too 

 fine. Wu'it 1 remsider :; model dng, in iliie flesh, measures 

 as f.Mlows; Fmm tip of tail to no.se, 37i inches; tail, 7i 

 inches; chest, 23 inches, tape tightly drawn; height, 10 

 inches ; from tLe tip of one ear to tip of other over the head, 

 not counting feather, 15 inches: distance between centre of 

 pupils, 2f inches; from tip of nose to beginning of forehead, 

 3inohes; coat, dark liver, rather coarse, but vetygbssy; 

 length of hair along the back, from 1:^ to 3 inches ; ears, legs 

 and tail only moderately feathered. His weight is even 30 

 pounds. His chest is large and hind quarters light. Such a 

 dog has the endm-ance of a hound, and beautj- unsurpassed 

 by any member of the canine family. 



Inthepiii! '; ' : i I - ;: ii dogs are equally at home, 

 and for ge'i ,i: ;,,,,- ,;,. the cake." Let the admir- 

 ers of smaller imri ! II ri ! II :^ liimt classes for their pets, or 

 abandon them. 51y olijeot with the m(Klern cocker spaniel 

 is to obtain the smallest possible dog that can and will do tkt 

 best possible work in the field. I do not believe beneli shows 

 can ever create a standard for a hunting dog, nor can limited 

 field trials do it. A compilation of the opinions of sports- 

 men competent to judge will be the only means of arriving 

 at a solution of this dilficult but important subject. M. D. 



Girclecilk, 0. 



Now allow me to say to all that juflt so long as this feeling 

 of distTUSt and jea]ou,sy exists you will waste both your time 

 and p:itience, and eventually you will be carried out to sea by 

 tbo midertow. It is all folly to think you can make a stand- 



d to suit the fancy of any particular strain of cockers ; for 

 who lias a strain that he can claim as his own production ? 

 In fact, to niidie it more plain, I -ivill ask the question openly 

 to you all, Is there a breeder in America or elsewhere who 

 has a breed of cockers that is easily identified among an open 

 number of ten or more spaniels as belonging to any man'.? 

 kennel, or is the acknowledged fruit of any breeder's'careful 

 study and unceasing labor ?" When you all' 'hink the matter 

 over candidly, I believe you will agree with me in saying 

 that there is not. Breed your spaniels to the liigli stiiDdard 

 of perfection, which is shown in the La varack setter, and 

 neither yourself nor the world at large will find a standard or 

 other guide to mark out its redeemfng qualities. We need 

 more good spaniels far more than we do a standard to judge 

 them by. You will find by experience that a standard will 

 not improve your dogs any. That must be done in a far dif- 

 ferent way, and I believe you will agree with me in saying it 

 is much easier to make a list of rules to followthan it will be 

 to follow them. At least 1 will venture the assertion that 

 many of you who are so enthusiastic In hnn-ying up the mat- 

 ter of making a standard will lose all interest in the cause 

 you are so nobly defending now if you were to try for a 

 couple of years at producing some particular marklnff in 

 order to establish the above-named title to a. strain. That is 

 the labor and worry of a lifetime not to be gamed in a day, 

 no matter what your starling point may have been. The 

 works of nature are fickle indeed. 



There are a great many who claim to be breeders, but their 

 experience has been limited indeed. They are breeders 

 something likethis: For example, thev wUrpui'diasc a half 

 dozen or more bitches for the brffd tlnil :Tf eulled good, of 

 all weights and all colors ; liav- : '; , ;- ir.i v.-llliout any 

 knowledge of his lineage and %i . .: .u i iie lot. From 



these unions they produce ever_v1 |j:;il- iimi ririks like ii dog. 

 Would it not be better to begin wifh first knowing what they 

 wanted to produce and then try to produce it and keep try- 

 ing until they succeed? 



Another will pickup some nondescript book on the dog, 

 read it and have all the knowledge they require. As, for in- 

 stance, one writer says the more prominent the eyes appear, 

 especially when accompanied with tan m.arkings, the greater 

 the suspicion of the King Charles cross ; and the greater the 

 number of ticks over the face, legs and body (lie sreater 

 quantity of Korfolk blood does theauim.al contain. "Now, 

 when any party puts in claims of that sort I sav he is not a 

 breeder. What is a cocker to be like in his eyes ? Are ihey 

 smaller sunken and blood-shot like a blood-hound ? A.nd 

 again, must there be King Charles blood to bring out tan 

 marking? I have never heard the claim put in against the 

 Gordon setter. One would be fully as consistent as the 

 other. And in regard to ticks, what is more handsome or 

 beautiful than a well proportioned cocker, with liver head 

 and ears and a body wliite ticked, with liver throughout? 

 And this can be produced and has been, but it does not fol- 

 low that they must have the broad muzzle or be mule, as in 

 the case of the Norfolk or Clumber spaniel. That is not 

 breeding, it is fogyism. xi.gain, I cau't sec the authority for 

 placing large spaniels in the field class, as Mr. Fellows saj-s, 

 where they belong, with very few exceptions. I think the 

 rule laid down by J. F. K. to be a very good and reasonable 

 one, and I can see nothing in it, intentional or otherwise, to 

 either injure the business financially or the mind of the most 

 fastidious. The changes I would make are in feathering. If a 

 dog is to be used in the field it is easy to clip his feather, and 

 you will certainly injure the value if von remove any point 

 that adds to his beauty. And furthermore, if you tamper 

 with the colors you are touching a tender point. I would 

 like very much to meet some one in an argument at some fu. 

 ture time on a subject that seems to be'liarrowintr upthe 

 souls of a few fanciers; that is, the origin of tlie Kino- 

 Charles spaniel. ' jjrnp. Hollis. '' 



After having read all tlie letters that have appeared in 

 yonr paper relative to cocker spaniels and the proposed 

 standard for judging them I think the letter of "8enex" in 

 your issue of the 2d lust, has solved the problem. The 

 majority shotdd rule in all cases, and jf the proposed com- 

 mittee is appointed as he suggests, the said majority should 

 be satisfied. The proposal of "Learn" would only make 

 matters much worse than they are at present, because the 

 opinion prevails that the whole thing woidd be managed by 

 a few interested parties in your ciiv, and the consequence 

 would be that if his idea were carried out many noted 

 breeders and others would not only object, but would hold 

 aloof from the proposed club. I hope, therefore, thai the 

 duly of issuing a circular in each number of vour journal 

 will not prove too onerous a duly for you, and we all will of 

 course, pony up to meet the e.vponses. My share is ready 

 wdienever it is asked for. Pciliaps it would be udvisablc to 

 publish a list of all the best breeders with their post-office 

 address in the Fop.est and Stream, aii that we can post our- 

 selves as to who is the best qualified to act on this committee. 



Toronto, Dec. 8. q_ g 



As breede 



■ feel ( 

 ingon in the culmmi; 

 modem eoclier. We 

 constitutes a cocker, as 

 that point for the presi 

 ble cut to bring aliuv 

 ning doir, and to bi 

 plan, which was to 

 FoifKST A.ND Stkeam 

 every Ijreeder and ( 



■eply interested in the controversy go- 

 of tlie FOKBST AND STJiBASt OH the 



ccd not give our opinion on what 

 . .here has been enough already said on 

 •nl, but would take the shortest possi- 

 ■1 permanent standard for this, fii.st cmi- 

 ig this aliout would indorse "Seiiex's" 

 ave circulurs aotlen up by tbe editor of 

 md seiii out by liim witll liis paper lo 



-^ .--,--- --""y man interested in cockers in tlie 



United Slates, and the three men that got the most votes to 

 be the committee of tlu-ee to establish the standard. This 

 seems t^ us a fair and just way to bring Ihis maitrp about. 



Would recommend that wc elect mm ilm' ar. 1 t.| ■ ■ 



feai'less, unselfish, honest, Hiep and iLtjj-oiigli good j(n('« ol 

 the breed in qtteslHiii. '' " 



Would take Stonchenge's "Dogs of the British Islands" for 

 a guide, and improve from that as best we can., We hope and 

 trust this good work will go on and give this most beautiful 

 and useful of all siiorting dogs an equal chance witll Other 

 breeds of dogs. C. B. C, 



Snuih Acicorth, JST. H., Dec. 23. 



I was vcTy much pleased with the pictures of the dogs in 

 your last issue, and have often wondered why there are not 

 more of them. It is a good way to educate the readers up 

 lo the standard of the breeders. We cannot all reach the 

 bench shows, and now that the little coel<er is Ijefore the 

 house for discussion, why don't the breeders of this useful 

 dog give us the pictures of their ideal cockers, mid let us pass 

 judgment on them '.' We are all iiUerested and arisious to see 

 the difrcrcnt shapes advocated by the several breeders. I 

 always supposed thai the cocker spaniel was a well defined 

 breed, and was really a miniature setter or a setter on short 

 legs, but it would seem by the letters written upon the sub- 

 ject, and by the dogs I have seen in the bench shows, that 

 almost any" small spaniel woidd pass for a cocker. 1 have 

 seen them" with Blenheim heads and water spaniel coals, and 

 all sorts of mixtures and crosses between the field, watei and 

 King Charles breeds, classed as cockers, and 1 begin to think 

 that 1 do not know much about the breed. I always had the 

 impression that the true field spaniel in color 'slionld be 

 white and orange, like ihe clumber, and liaf llie liver 

 showed previous crossing with the water spaniel, and the 

 black some distant cross with the English re-triever. I 

 should very much like it if some one who lias the ability 

 would just take hold and straighten out the business through 

 the columns of your paper, if you can give the space. 



El>HB. 



I think your correspondent is going too far when he wants 

 to bar out of the "Cocker Club" all sportsmen not breeding 

 or owning cockers, for there are a great many sportsmen like 

 myself, who own a few setters and pointers, that would like 

 to join a club of this kind lo become better acquainted with 

 these little fellows. And are we all to be fired out simply 

 because we own no cockers "and do not know one from a 

 mongre.l bull-dog?" C. E. S. 



Schenectady, N. Y. 



Editor Forest and iStream : 



In answer to "Cave Canem," and to defend my e.\preased 

 wish to have two classes for spaniels, large and small, I have 

 a few quotations from English fanciers, breeders and judges. 

 In a general letter on spaniels in "Dogs of the Day," of Sep- 

 tember, 1880, "Stirefoot," knowntome as the greatest liv- 

 ing breeder of spaniels, having won everything the last few 

 years, says, after naming the several divisions of the spaniel 



family: " they are divided inlo two cla.sses, large and 



small — the large are termed springers, the small, cockers : 

 both sizes may be produced in one litter by tbe same parents." 

 And again: "The small .spaniel, or cocker, may be almost 

 any color, black, black and white, liver and white, lemon, 

 lemon and white, or only mottled. The head should re- 

 semble that of a small setter and have no tuft upon it; the 

 ears should be moderately long and lie well to the cheek. 

 The legs should be strong, well feathered and short, the feet 

 round, and each toe should be protected wdth hair, a plenti- 

 ful distribution of which on and between the toes is tmiiort- 

 ant ; the chest tolerably broad, the body long and liarrel-like, 

 the stern should come "out on a line with' (lie backbone," 

 From "British Dogs," by Dalziel, I lake the following: 



" if the present fashion is to be rafunluined — ihejjreju- 



dic»in favor of black color, long backs and setrer-like heads 

 — I plead for two classes at alf shows. One class for other 

 than self-colored dogs, representing the old spriu!j:er, and 

 weighing over say twenty-five pounds, and a corresjionding 

 class for cockers weighing from eighteen pounds to twenty- 

 five pounds. Small-sized spaniels weighing from twenty 

 pounds, or even less to twenty-four pounds, and of all colors, 

 liver, black, white vnlh liver or black, and in these flecked or 

 mottled on face, legs, etc.. are still pretty numerous. I 

 tliink we should have classes for liver colored cockers to in- 

 clude the Welsh or Devon varieties, and also one for Hiose of 

 mixed colors, the maximum weight in each class to be 

 twenty-four pounds " He also g-jves measurements of two 

 liver and white cockers: Nell— weight. 2fllb.; height, 9in.- 

 length, 30in. Flo— weigbl, SUlb.; height, loin,: length, 29iii! 



Another gentleman wiio has often Judged the spaniel 

 classes at different large shciws writes me of a bitch which 

 he calls the best black cocker he ever saw — "she is not 

 worth X — here, as the long, low black spaniel is alile to win 

 everywhere " — showing that there is no definite standard in 

 England any more than here for cockers. 



Yet "Cave Ouiiem " .says thcat there is astandard, and that 

 one might as well si art to argue as to what is a cow as call 

 into rjuestion what is a cocker. 



I have removed my kennels and myself to Whitestone, L. 

 I., and in future my address will be as below, Dino 



P. 0. Box. 13, }V7iife.itone, L. I. 



HoENELtsviLLE, N. T., .Tan. 1. 

 I wish to say a few words to the friends of the cocker. I 

 have given the subject much time and have read all that has 

 been written, and 1 find that no two authorities agree on what 

 a cocker is or should be. Don't he jealous .and "by so doing 

 spoil all chance of having a standard. If we do have a stan- 

 dard made you should be able by enreful .Selection |,o' breed 

 to it in thre"e or four years : aodif ihe standard does no; Imp- 

 pen lo fit your stock it surely can do them no hiij-m. r,y bay- 

 ing a standard you will know what you must have if j'ou 

 wish to exhibit with the chance of taking a prize. AH 

 men who have a horse or dog think they have the best, no 

 matter if tlie horse is only fit for the crows. They think if 

 they should let him go he could do a mile in 3:30. It is just 

 the same with a dng. If they exhibit and get beat they rusk 



into print, cry " t".- ■: ' I'nor judges,""etc. 



Yonr iieigliii -foodies," "bullfoundlands," 



etc. ; they nia , unds and have topknots liku' 



Barney and Siui ills them cockers, e.thiliits them 



and takes first pri.'.t over } oiu- pride and ideal cocker. Now 

 il wo have a standard the best dog according to the standard 

 must win. Nearly all of your correspondents are of the samft 

 opinion, that we do need a standard, bul at the same lima 

 aeom to be afraid that it might not fit their stock. If it, is a 

 pertinent rmestion I sliould like to ask why is all this opposi- 

 tion to Geo. D. Macdougall? I think 1 can answer it my- 

 self. It's dollars to buttons, simply because he has none \>i 

 the Bestor atrajn, and did not see fit to buy of those that did 

 havo tiieiTi. "iou will observe that all that are named for a 

 ■u..ii..i;,e.' have the licit. a- snain or its variations. I Ui'ink 

 it was a kind act uf ' Dido" lo accept Uie office : ' y^ry fesy 

 iTTOuldlake the trouble without beiug paid for it, and ceriain. 



