fie 



FOREST T AND^ STREAM. 



Vim ^^nnql 



To Correspondents.— Those desiring us to prescribe lor their dogs 

 will please take note ol and describe the following points in each ani- 

 mal: 



1. Age. 2. Pood and medicine given. 3, Appearance of the eye; 

 of the coat ; of the tongue and lips. 4. Any changes in the appearance 

 of the body, as bloating, drawing in of the flanks, etc. 5. Breathing, 

 the number of respirations per minute, and whether labored or not. 

 (i. Condition of the bowels and secretions of the kidneys, color, etc 7. 

 Appetite ; regular, variable, etc. 8. Temperature of the body as indi- 

 cated by the bulb of the thermometer when placed between the body 

 and the foreleg. 9. Give position of kennel and surronndings, outlook, 

 contiguity to other buildings, and the uses of the latter. Also give any 

 peculiarities of temperament, movements, etc., that may be noticed ; 

 signs of suffering, etc. 



MATTERS ABROAD. 



AN interest in setters led me to attend the International 

 Dog Show at Manchester, held at the Royal Pomona 

 Palace, on July 20, 21, 23 and 24, under the very excellent 

 management of Mr. John Douglas, to whose courtesy I was 

 indebted for a pleasant acquaintance with a number of promi- 

 nent sportsmen who have become known to Americans by 

 their interest in dogs. Among these were Wm, Lord, Esq. j 

 Mr. S. E. Shirley, M. P., President of the London Kennel 

 Club ; Rev. J. Cumming Macdona, and GL de Landoc Mac- 

 dona, Esq., and Prince Albert Salms of Prussia, whose kennels 

 are quite the most extensive, and best bred of any in Eu- 

 rope, and whose patronage of dogs is tending to foster on the 

 Continent that rapid increase of attention to their breeding 

 which is so marked in America. 



The Manchester show in size and importance falls below 

 those held annually at Birmingham and London, and yet its 

 decided success this year was marked by the entry of the 

 large number of dogs. There were no representatives from 

 the kennel of Messrs. Llewcllin, Cumington, Barclay Field or 

 Brewis, and yet there was no lack of dogs, both good and well 

 known. Of those among setters was Mr. Shirley's (formerly 

 Hamming's) Champion Bock, to whom was very justly 

 awarded the first prize in the English setter dog class, and 

 also the cup for the best setter in the show, the second going 

 to Mr. Macdona's Blue Prince II., and the third to Mr. J. B. 

 Wilson's Bruce, by Laverack's Blue Prince out of Flash. Of 

 bitches in the same class the first place was taken by Fletcher's 

 Dora, while both second and third went to progeny of Laver- 

 ack's Blue Prince, viz., Wilson's Floss, and J. F. Walton's 

 Doll. Mr. Macdona's Rover again carried off the honors in 

 the Irish class, while Mi-. Shirley w T on first both in retrievers 

 and fox terriers. 



To the hospitality of Rev. J. Cumming Macdona I was in- 

 debted for a day or two of great pleasure at his home at 

 ' Cheadle Rectory, Cheshire, about six miles from Manchester. 

 Mr. Macdona is not slow to express his appreciation of the at- 

 tentions extended to him while in America, and surely they 

 must have been great if they exceeded his courtesies to your 

 coiTespondent here. 



The criticisms visited by some American journals upon a 

 clergyman for giving public expression to his love for so noble 

 an animal and one so important to the comfort of man as the 

 dog, by attending the New York International Bench Show, did 

 not want for English newspapers of acertain (or an uncertain) 

 class, to give them currency, both by quotation and additional 

 comment. It is a rule, as valuable as it is old, that to best 

 judge of a man, you must leam how he is regarded at home, 

 and tried by this test. Mr. Macdona's censors will not find 

 him much damaged by their opinions; for, on his return from 

 America, he found his faithful parishioners in full force at the 

 Rectory, with a brass band to tender him a serenade and a 

 warm welcome home, and thus to let his critics learn how 

 much those who knew him best, thought of him and how lit- 

 tle of them. Indeed, I could well understand the esteem and 

 affection in which the Cheadle Parishioners hold their Rector 

 when, from his pew in the chancel of the fine old church, at 

 the Sunday service, I could see not only from their larcc num- 

 bers and high character, but as well from their deep interest, 

 how muck they owed to Mr. Macdona's faithful and zealous 

 labors. The church, which is a fine Gothic structure, was 

 originally built in 1320, afterward rebuilt in 1(324, and now. 

 under Mr. Macdona's exertions and supervision, 5s being re- 

 stored at a large expense, but one quite easily borne, I should 

 hope, from the wealth of the congregation. It is Mr. Mac- 

 dona's ambition that Cheadle Church, when its restoration is 

 completed, shall be the chief object of attraction to.the visitor 

 at Manchester. The Rectory itself is full of interest. It's a 

 large mansion, of considerable age, and built at various 

 periods, with a spacious dining-hall, studded with heavy oak- 

 en rafters— black with time. In this room is an oaken mantel, 

 a part of the spoil of Furness Abbey, made probably in the 

 12ih century, very high and wide, and most richly carved 

 with that perfection of art only to be found in England, until 

 more recent times, in the Ecclesiastical architecture and orna- 

 mentation. Extensive gardens and lawn with shade trees, and 

 that turf which is the despair of Americans, complete a pic- 

 ture of domestic comfort and beauty, which it seems that 

 England almost only can produce. 



Prince Salms, whom I found also a guest under the hospita- 

 ble roof of the Rectory, desires to secure the establishment of 

 a truly international show of dogs, at some point on the Con- 

 tinent, at once convenient of access, and where abundant ac- 

 commodation can be furnished, as, for instance, Baden-Baden 

 -ami which shall secure the largest competition from the 

 Continent and England, and, if possible, America, also. 



Distance, however, would probably preclude any large 

 participation from America, in such an exhibition, attb.oqgk.if 

 our importation from this side of the best, dogs continues at its 

 present rate, we will soon reach a point of excellence inbreed- 

 ing when we need not fear the result, if, indeed, it has not 

 been reached already. American 



Manchester, Eny., Aug. 8th, 1877. 



— The dog tax collected in Crawford county, Pa., this year 

 won't pay for the sheep killed, and the Commissioners will 

 levy a special lax, 



RED AND WHITE IRISH SETTER NED. 



Ned. — Ned, by Bailey's Shot, out of Wilkinson's Frank, 

 Shot by an imported dog (name unknown), Frank from Eng- 

 lish woodcock strain. In color Ned is a beautiful red and 

 white, and is marked very sharp ; of medium size, and was 

 whelped June, 1871. He received the Rod and Gun premi- 

 um, also special premium, at the bench show at Springfield, 

 in 1875 ; and the gold whistle awarded at the Bench Show in 

 the same city, in 187G. 



. ^♦.^ 



THE COLUMBUS KENNEL CLUB 

 POINTERS. 



Editor Forest and Stream : 



Although much has been written about the setter ken- 

 nels of our country in Forest and Stream and Rod and 

 Gun, no mention has ever been made of the kennels in which 

 the breeding and rearing of pointer dogs is made a specialty. 

 Perhaps a brief sketch of our kennel may stimulate others to 

 follow suit as to the kennels in their neighborhood, and thus 

 assist in keeping up the lately re-aroused interest in the not 

 long ago almost lost sight of pointer. 



The stalls of the Columbus Kennel Club building measure 

 on the ground floor 4 by 9 ft., except that for whelps, widen 

 is 7 by 9 ft. and 8 ft. in height ; are roomy, well lighted and 

 ventilated, and open into a good-sized exercise yard. 



The club owns seventeen pointer dogs, only four of which 

 are kept kenneled for breeding purposes. Of the four we 

 must first mention Champion Belle, who is well deserving of 

 the honor, if only for her winnings. She is liver and white 

 ticked, "symmetrical and beautiful, with general appearance 

 racy." Her head is of fine size, and her nose is square and 

 rectangular tipped ; her ears thin in leather, set well back in 

 the head, hanging close to the cheeks ; she has a well pro- 

 nounced stop, a fair forehead, good eyes and large nostrils — in 

 other words she is an Idstone's ideal. She was never beaten 

 upon the bench but once, and then she was in no show form. 

 She took the first prize at Chicago, Baltimore and Philadel- 

 phia, and champion in the champion class at New York City. 



Second stands Fan, better known as Gillespie's black Fan, a 

 jet black gyp, with a little white on neck, and breast ticked 

 with black; having immense quality and endurance. She 

 took first at Chicago and a first and special prize with her 

 two three-months-old pups, Black Prince and Black Countess, 

 at Baltimore. She produced in one litter four first prize win- 

 ners, viz.: Prince, Fleet, Countess and Princess. Fan was 

 brought to this country by a gentleman coming from England 

 to reside here, and her fame became so great that the 

 club determined to own her, and finally accomplished their 

 object. Some object to her fineness ; but if all resemble this 

 one the finer we breed our pointers the better, for she refuses 

 neither briars nor water, and we have yet to see her tire. 



Shot, the stock dog, is a large, powerful animal, but not 

 weighed down with lumber. In color, white, with slight 

 chesnut markings on head and ears. He has the longest 

 nose we ever saw on a dog of his size, and its flues resemble 

 good sized rifle bores, easily accounting for his unsurpassed 

 olfactory powers. His get is fine, all bearing his impress. 

 He took first prize at Detroit, and if it were not for his dis- 

 figured caudal appendage, would take first prize at al- 

 most any bench show. 



Last comes Fannie, formerly known as Price's Fannie, who 

 has always been so busy in the field and far away from home 

 that she never could be shown. She is direct from the Royal 

 Kennels, a gift from the Prince of Wales. In color she is 

 white, with evenly marked orange head and ears, and a spot 

 or two of orange on the back. In build she resembles some- 

 what the Spanish dog, but does not carry his amount of tim- 

 ber, and excels kiui in fineness, She is a. persistent worker,, 



carryiug a high head, quartering her ground regularly, staunch 

 on her point, and having been worked upon all kinds of game 

 she is as near perfection as breaking and use can make any 

 dog. Bourgeois. 



Russian Setters and Clumber Spaniels.— In the Forest 

 And Stream of August 16th, I was pleased to meet with a let- 

 ter from our friend Amicus Canium, touching upon Russian 

 setters, a breed that I have so often heard discussed but never 

 have had the good fortune to meet— in its purity, Indeed 

 some cavilers question the fact of its existence as a distinctive 

 strain at all. 



In his latest work on "The Dog," Idstone says: "I have 

 heard of Russian setters, but I have never seen one worthy of 

 that name, nor do I think that such an animal is bred or culti- 

 vated by the Muscovites ; at any rate I shall not be able to say 

 much more of him or his performance than the late Mr. Lang, 

 of Cochspin street, whose account of some lie once possessed 

 has been quoted by so many authorities, that it must he well 

 known to all who take any interest in the gun — but I believe 

 he subsequently modified his opinion of them." 



It will be seen that Idstone is careful not to indorse Mr. 

 Lang's opinion, but called attention to the subsequent modifi- 

 cation of the views of this breeder in respect to them. 



I hope that now the question has been mooted in your col- 

 umns it will draw out full and free correspondence from all 

 sides. 



Amicus Yeritatis, in his letter (J,o which Amicus Canium 

 refers) championed the cause of the Clumber Spaniel, and 1 

 expect will have something to say for the breed in answer to 

 the article on "Dogs for Close Covert," for certainly it is the 

 best and purest of the field spaniels now existing, the hand- 

 somest if not the most, use fid of them all. Like good wine, 

 he improves with age and adds to his knowledge from experi- 

 ence, so that when your setter or pointer is horn du combat 

 he is in his prime. The breed, unfortunately, is but little 

 known in this country ; but, as I learn that there are good 

 specimens here now, I hope to see that plodding, sturdy fel- 

 low come into more general use. There are many sections of 

 our country 'where he would be invaluable. 



In the recent dog shows through the land, some of which I 

 attended, I do not remember to have ^w.n a Clumber nor a 

 class allotted to him ; perhaps had a class been assigned un.re 

 might have been brought out than are generally supposed to 

 be among us. Canis Ma.hu:. 



Ei ssi an Setter. — In Forest and Stream of Aug. Kith, 

 " Amicus Cauiuuni," in his paper on Russian setters, 01 

 Frank Forester as never having seen a Russian seller. Now, M i . 

 Editor, will you please to give your understanding of thl 

 lowing sentences— of which A. C.'s quotation, " I have never 

 seen a pure one," is a part — taken from his Manual ana Field 

 Sports ? " His color is black, black and white, or pale lemon 

 and white ; I never saw one of any other color. I have 

 never seeu a pure one — though 1 once owned a half-breed, 

 a most superior animal— in America, nor are they common 

 or easily attainable in England. I learned to shoot over one 

 in England * * * and almost everything that I know of 

 shooting that old Russian taught mc. 



It makes an admiral ile retriever, and would, I think, suit 

 this country beyond any dog with which I am acquainted, 

 though I have never seen one in America * + * r pi, e 

 Duke of Devonshire had, when I was in England, and I believe 

 keeps to this day. this fine variely in its purity ; and in my 

 boyhood my father, the late Dean of Manchester, had some 

 excellent dogs of the Russian breed, one. of which, Charon, 

 was the best dog, far or near, over which I have ever drawn 

 trigger. 



Could not Lieutenant Ismailoff, of the Orloff Trotters, be 

 approached as to whether Russia has a distinct variety Of set- 

 ters ? Idstone has pronounced all Russian setters myths. 

 Whv should A. C. appeal to him ? Boijkouuis 



Colvvibttx, Ohio, Any., 21, 1877. 



[That Frank Forester never saw a Russian setter, "pure 

 and uiidefiled," is evident from his own admission. What 

 more can be said i It is extremely doubtful if there be a pure- 

 bred Russian in all Great Britain, the dog carrying the name 

 being a cross between the Russianand English breeds. Charon 

 was one of these cross-bred dogs. Even in Russia and Fin- 

 land they are rare, and it is a mooted question whether there 

 can be fouud ft Russian setter of pure strain.— Ed. J 



