382 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Mat 29, 1884. 



exhibit, in the heavy pointer bitch class, whose faulty form is 

 so evident even to a novice, that nothing but the knowledge 

 of the general woriblessness of this class in years past, could 

 induce me to exhibit her at ah. I relied on the unusual quality 

 in so large a bitch to carry her well to the front, and was; not 

 mistaken. She was easily beaten for first by the only one in 

 the class pretending to any form at all, though as a brood bitch 

 1 think it much easier work for me to correct Fan Fan's faulty 

 frame than to infuse good or high quality into the winner. 



To digress for a moment : It is a fact that nearly all large 

 pointer bitches exhibited in this country for many years have 

 been coarse and short of quality (my definition of quality be- 

 ing the greatest strength in the smallest weight, which neces- 

 sitates tine bone, fine fiber and fine texture throughout). I 

 have a tiorror, not of size, but of coarseness and lumber. 



Whether this coarseness is due to the use of all sorts of 

 native bitches and the fact that mostly dogs are imported of 

 the highest class, is of no consideration just here. The truth 

 is that the highest quality is found In the smaller bitches and, 

 as Mr. Mason states, the best results, at least for the bench, are 

 obtained from breeding large dogs to the small bitches. But 

 is this any breeding at all? I call it mating. The breeders are 

 those who will keep up the separate strains of large dogs and 

 small bitches, as long as a distinction is made, in order to 

 enable the exhibitor to produce the happy medium. I do not 

 believe in hybrid nor grades of any kind unless I can perpetu- 

 ate them and make them a breed. Hence, I would advise 

 either to abandon the large pointers as a breed or to improve 

 their quality. That the latter is possible is evidenced in Fan 

 Fan, who has little else to recommend her. But to return to 

 Mr. Mason's criticism of her; he writes: "Fan Fan (Donner's), 

 placed second, has a fair head and tolerably good feet." My 

 judgment is that she has a good head (mcludinglips, eyes, ears 

 and skull), but has intolerably bad feet; in fact, I think a 

 rooster has better feet, at least for the purpose of sitting on 

 the fence. Mr. Mason continues: "Faults, throaty." I claim 

 her skin fine as a mole's, fits her like a kid glove from the tip 

 of her nose to the end of her tail. His next utterance— "wide 

 in front" — I might have written myself, so well do I agree 

 with it; but when he continues— "light in bone"— I again hold 

 another opinion. 



The bitch has all the bone she wants. In fact, I never heard 

 of dogs breaking bones except b afcwesn their teeth. I wish 

 they were all ivory and as light as possible. A really bigbone 

 is the surest indication of coarseness, sponginess and goutiness 

 in any animal. I am sure Mr. Mason knows this, but uses the 

 expression "light bone" to designate the leg as a whole, and I 

 think we only disagree as to the quantity there should be of 

 this, and claiming exceptionally high quality for Fan Fan, I 

 disagree with Mr. Mason as to the quantity of leg necessary. 

 The highest bred horses have apparently light legs, but the 

 actual bone is of ivory density without core. The common 

 horse has large bones" of a spongy cellular material. The 

 former is not only in itself the strongest, but especially so 

 from the manner in which the tendons are placed at the great- 

 est possible distance from the bone. These act as the cord of 

 an arch and at double the distance give nearly double the 

 strength to the arch. I therefore like a broad, flat or deep 

 leg of tine bone, with the tendons set clean away from it. 



In this respect, I do not only disagree with Mr. Mason in re- 

 gard to Fan Fan, but conclude from his remarks made in 

 praise of other dogs, that he prefers even an actually round 

 leg and coarse bone, as long as there is plenty of it, to a really 

 fine leg of ample strength. 



I find that fine legs as a rale accompany fine tails (though 

 both may be faults' in shape). A fine tail indicates a fine bone 

 in the entire frame, and I conclude that it is due to the demand 

 for too much bone in the leg which causes so many coarse 

 tails and skulls m our large pointers. I can count every bone 

 in Fan Fan's tail. Her skull is fine and her legs are in har- 

 mony with her general quality. Mr. Mason's last remark 

 about Fan Fan, "too round behind the shoulder," 1 indorse 

 only in so far as to say, "entirely too round underneath the 

 shoulder," as I want a" dog well sprung in the back ribs as soon 

 as they are clear of the shoulders and elbows. After the above 

 minute statement in regard to a single dog, I could offer my 

 reasons for disagreeing in a number of instances from Mr. 

 Mason's criticism, but for fear of offending owners shah take 

 the liberty only in regard to some dogs owned by a personal 

 friend. 



These are Mr. Godeffroy's Drake and Sefton, and Mr. Mason 

 writes: "Brake, placed second, was not entitled to the 

 honor; it really belonged to his kennel companion, Sefton, a 

 decidedly better looking dog; he beats Drake everywhere ex- 

 cepting in head and neck. Sefton is a little sour in expression 

 and light in eye ; he is also throaty, but he has good quarters 

 and he stands on capital legs and feet." I do not wish to 

 criticise Drake, except to state that in spite of his show form, 

 good or bad, he can and does gallop as long as Sefton can trot 

 or even walk, and he prefers to do so. What is the reason? 

 I answer— coarseness and lumber in Sefton. In this he is so 

 well balanced that at twenty-five yards distance he looks 

 almost first-class. But don't go near him! You find besides 

 the faults enumerated by Mr. Mason, a coarse muzzle andskull 

 thick ears, necK and beefy shoulders, with coarse, open hard 

 hair all over to the end of his tail. What does Mr. Mason now 

 see in him, except big legs and general symmetry to change 

 his opinion about bim^ We agreed better on this subject 

 when he criticised this same dog a year ago, quite as severely 

 as I do to-day, and as I hope with Mr. Godeffroy's consent, 

 who has long ago ceased to breed trotting dogs for field trial 

 winners. Sefton is a well-broken field dog, but can be bought 

 reasonably. 



Mr. Mason cannot answer me by saying that my ideas of a 

 dog are against the authorities. I think the difference 

 between us lies in the different interpretation of the same 

 rules, and here a difference in opinion may well prevail— at 

 least I never found anything in the rules to prevent a good 

 field dog to be also a handsome dog, but I know of many 

 cases where bench winners turn out very poor movers in the 

 field. This should not be so under good judging, and I doubt 

 whether Mr. Mason is the only judge who will do justice to 

 both Stonehenge and the dog. * J. 0. Donner. 



New Tore. 



N. A. K. TRIALS, 1884. 



Canton, Miss., May 19, 1884. 

 To the President of National Field Trials: 



Dear Sir— Knowing that the trials for the last year were 

 held at Grand Junction, and knowing also that Canton is a 

 superior place for such trials, we are induced to write this 

 letter as directed by the members of our club. Canton is 

 south of Grand Junction, 187 miles, on the Illinois Central 

 Kailroad; has 8,000 inhabitants, and has plenty of hotel ac- 

 commodations for tlie visitors. It is 24 miles north of Jack- 

 son, at which point the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad 

 strikes. Its advantages geographically are excellent, but its 

 natural advantages excel by far all other places. This was 

 acknowledged by gentlemen who attended the New Orleans 

 Gun Club trials here last fall after attending the trials at 

 Grand Junction. They spoke in high praise of the open fields 

 and number of birds at Canton. Our gun club has stocked 

 with birds a body of land containing over three thousand 

 acres within a mile and a half of Canton. This land already 

 had plenty of birds on it, and before stocking it was no trouble 

 to find twenty-five covies in one day. We have had the land 

 posted ; no one is allowed to hunt it, not even ourselves. 



Now a few words as to its surface: Seven-eighths of these 

 3,000 acres is open level land, the rest is cover and not heavy 

 cover, Bv our endeavors the Legislature last fall passed a 

 law prohibiting trapping and netting of buds in this county, 

 so that next fall birds will be still more plenty than hitherto. 

 The people of our town are hospitable and will welcome cor- 

 dially ah visitors. The rooms or our club will be open to all 



We feel sure that the National trials, if once here, will be al- 

 ways held at Canton. The New OrleansJGun Club trials will 

 be held again at this point next winter. To sum up, we guar- 

 antee you 3,000 acres of beautiful ground within a mile and a 

 half of Canton: more than plenty of birds on it, plenty of 

 places to lay your heads, and plenty to eat, and we extend a 

 cordial welcome as a club to the National field trials to come 

 next winter to our town. We will do our best to so treat them 

 that they will always smile a smile of gladness when the word 

 Canton is mentioned. We refer you most respectfully to the 

 following gentlemen who visited our grounds last Winter to 

 see the New Orleans Gun Club trials: Messrs. Wallace. Presi- 

 dent New Orleans Gun Club; Renaud, Secretary New Orleans 

 Gun Club; J. Palmer O'Neil, Pittsburgh, Pa.; H. B. Harrison, 

 Ontario, Canada, and the two judges at the trials, Mr. Thomp- 

 son, of Louisana, and Capt. Key, of Florence, Alabama. 

 Yours very respectfully, 

 G. R. Kemp, Secretary. Lawrence Foot, President. 



CHICAGO DOG SHOW. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Beyond the regular prizes offered, medals will be given for 

 the best kennel of five English setters, best five Irish setters, 

 best five Gordon setters, best five pointers, best five Irish water 

 spaniels, best five cocker spaniels, best five collies, best fox- 

 terriers, best three bulldogs. Medals will also be given for the 

 fastest greyhound or deerhound, also for making the highest 

 leap, and a medal for the best trick dog, one for the best re- 

 trieving dog. A 610 silver cup for the best pug owned and 

 entered by a lady. A handsome collar for the best black and 

 tan toy terrier in the show, and one for the same kind ex- 

 hibited by a lady. 



The entries are coming in very well, and there is no doubt 

 that the show will be a good one. 



The entries close on the 31st inst., and should be sent in at 

 once addressed to me, P. O. Box 569, Should any intending: 

 exhibitor not have received their entry blanks, by sending the 

 breed of dog they desire to exhibit, with the sex, color, age, 

 and pedigree, their entries will be accepted, 



Chas. Lincoln, Supt. 



[Premium lists and entry blanks can be obtained at this 

 office.] 



THE ENGLISH FIELD TRIALS, 



WE CLIP from the London Field a portion of its leading 

 article upon the late English Field Trials, to which we 

 append a letter from Rev. J. Gumming Macdona in reply: 



"Within the past two weeks have been held the two great 

 Field Trial Meetings, for pointers and setters of the year, 

 neither of which can be said to have passed over under favor- 

 able circumstances. The first — that at Shrewsbury — will 

 stand alone and unprecedented for the badness of the scent, 

 hard, and cold east winds. A hot sun had parched the ground, 

 cracking it in places, and as the wind lulled we had not even 

 that help to enable the pointer or setter to feel the body scent. 

 The second, at Stratford, is remarkable from causes almost 

 exactly the reverse. There had been and was plenty of rain 

 —and cold rain too— wind, and storm generally, and, although 

 under such conditions we have at times seen the best of scent 

 both for hounds and dogs, it was not so on the occasion 

 of which we are writing. Possibly on the Friday afternoon 

 scent was as bad as it had been the previous week, and 

 only during two or three hours each day (generally early in 

 the morning) did the conditions prove favorable for testing 

 the scenting capabilities of the entries. 



These trials have not yet become popular, and, though the 

 attendance at the National Trials was fair ; perhaps as large as 

 it ever was, at the Kennel Club meeting it was moderate in 

 the extreme, never exceeding some eighty people, and not 

 more than a score and a hah were present to witness the 

 final trial between Ruler and Malt. The pointers, as a class, 

 far out-worked the setters ; they did this not only under the 

 hot sun and dry ground of Shrewsbury, but were alike pre- 

 dominant under the rain and heavy going at Stratford. This 

 is rather difficult to account for, especially with the fact star- 

 ing us in the face that of late years the setter has enjoyed 

 much the greater popularity of the two, and is far more ex- 

 tensively bred, especially for bench show purposes. At some 

 of our later exhibitions the pointer classes have been sadly 

 poor, while exactly the reverse was the case with the setters. 

 Then, of the latter breed actually competing at the two 

 trials, there was but one Irish setter, and not a single speci- 

 men of the Gordon or black and tan; while as a rule those 

 animals the most shapely, and having by blood and outward 

 appearance the greatest pretensions to success in the prize 

 ring, performed the worst of all, and, though they had style 

 enough when they found game or backed the point made by 

 their opponent, their noses and breaking were far below 

 mediocrity. Can this be more than a coincidence? We are 

 sadly afraid it is not. Perhaps we may be writing that 

 which many people will consider a foul calumny on the present 

 handsome race of setters, who, with coats and feather almost 

 like floss silk, sweet and expressive countenances, straight legs, 

 perfect feet, beautifully-placed shoulders and ears, loin and 

 muscle not to be surpassed, are seen taking the cups on the 

 show bench. Yet our experience of them has been just as it 

 was proved at the recent trials — poor in the field, and not 

 nearly equal in work to the common-looking little creature 

 who, so far as show puiposes are concerned, would not be 

 worth sixpence. Many of our most successful exhibitors of 



they shoot 



excellence 



appear 



sufficient inducement for them to" run the risk of a Crystal 

 Palace or Birmingham winner having in the field its nose put 

 out of joint by a dog not good enough to win at a public-house 

 show in the north. Here are facts as they appear before us ; 

 we are shocked to find them, and they are not altogether 

 creditable to those whom the subject most concerns. Of course 

 we do not infer that the handsome setters have never won. 

 There is one well-known kennel, which was not represented 

 either at Shrewsbury or Stratford, that can be as successful 

 in field trials as at Ciirzon Hall; but as a rule the facts are as 

 stated by us. Now, so far as pointers are concerned there is a 

 great difference, and if we have not actually had the handsom- 

 est animals winning, still they have been an advance in this 

 respect on the setters, and generally throughout were a great 

 improvement on them. There were halt a dozen or more 

 quite up to first-class show form which ran creditably, and 

 somehow the handsomer a pointer was in ordinary appear- 

 ance the better style it had on game, and usually had pace to 

 boot. We must naturally come to the conclusion that just 

 now, shows notwithstanding, our pointers are far better in 

 the field than our setters, and nothing but practical proof to 

 the contrary will convince us we arc wrong." 

 Following is the letter of Mr. Macdona: 



Sir— You are so often right, and so generally take a common sense 

 viewof things, I confess I feel some temerity in joining iosue with 

 you iu your interesting article on tee late field trials. You state rhey 

 "have not yet become popular." Is this really so? Perhaps they 

 may not be in the strict sense of the term "popular," because they 

 are not, nor ever have been, attended by great numbers of people; 

 but is this a true test of popularity? Consider the conditions. Those 

 who attend field trials come, as a rule, from long distances. Whether 

 they oe owners of dogs competing, or keepers and trainers of dogs 

 (I like the American term "trainer'' better than "breaker";, both alike 

 evince a keen and intense interest — sustained over several days, 

 which I have never seen excelled at other competitions. Ahorse 

 race or coursing match, with all the horrible and hoarse shoutings of 

 the betting fraternity, rises quickly to fever heat, and the excitement 

 is over in a few moments. At a field trial, what are supposed to be 

 the best trained dogs meet, and in calm and collected manner do their 

 level best against each other, racing ia gallant form, yet wi;h well- 

 bred and well-trained dogs seldom outpacing their nose. 

 You state, "An unpleasant feature is the continued whistling, some- 



times shouting, of the worker." etc. Now, Sir. if there is one change 

 for the better more than another that field trials have effected, it is, I 

 think, universally acknowledged that the deportment and manners of 

 the keepers and trainers of the dogs has wonderfully improved since 

 the establishment of field trials. I have attended field trials from 

 then establishment, and have seer, a vast change for the better, not: 

 only in the quality of the dogs competing, but In the men that work 



them 

 never 



fiock to th 



If field trials have ""not yet become popular,"' howis it we 

 field trial fail for want of entries? That the public do not 



in great numbers may be easily accounted for. Proprie- 

 tors 01 large lauded estates, who generously give their ground to be 

 worked over, do not care to have more of the public (especially where 

 estates adjoin large towns that harbor many poat shers) present than are 

 suppose*! to have a direct interest in the does being tried If field trials 

 were to become "popular" m the same sense that race and coursing 

 meetings are, the pristine purity of the privilege of attending thein 

 would be for ever gone. " * 



If there is one charm that I cherish more tha.n another in field trials 

 it is the select circle of sympathetic spirits, gathered from all parts 

 of the compass that, meeting in the open, trudge on through briar 

 and bramble, over plough and fallow, through sunshine and storm 

 most earnestly intent upon the movements of the dogs, the keepers' 

 and the judges. It is passing: pleasing to meet there such true types 

 of Irish sportsmen as Mr. King and Mr. Lipscombe, to meet Germans, 

 Frenchmen. Belgians, Austrian*. Italians. Dutchmen, aid Americans 

 come purposely over to attend them. Who that has met Prince 

 Albert Solms, Von Gusted, Von Alvensleben, and other keen Conti- 

 nental sportsmen at our field trials does not feel proud of the prestige 

 of our old English sports in being so attractive in their influence? But 

 to my mind more than all this intense interest of distinguished 

 foreigners and our own country gentlemen in these field trials is the 

 keen appreciation of them by the backbone of all our sport, the game 

 keepers and dog trainers of our country. Why, bless my soul ; it is 

 well worth a journey of one hundred miles by rail to go to a field trial 

 to see one of the "bishops." when not occupied with deceased wife's 

 sisters or pigeon shooting, "put down by the judges" to work against 

 Anstey, Armstrong, Brailsford, Bret, Fletcher. Khowlton. Koberts, or 

 Thomas. The keen yet silent zest with which they set to work is a 

 caution to Convocation. To watch the way iu which Bishop Elias, 

 the archbishop of all the bishops, worked Ranging Aaron and Rang- 

 ing Moses was truly unique if not strictly ecclesiastical; and when 

 Ranging Moses turned a summersault in the air, as lie pulled himself 

 up in a headlong gallop when he spotted his competitor on a point, 

 was one of the episodes of the late field trials that wpII deserves; to be 

 handed down to posterity along with the deeds of Garth's Brake and 

 my champion Ranger. Though I have, never hesitated in giving my 

 opinion pietty .freely about the faults of the Kennel Club, yet i am 

 bound to do it the justice it deserves of commending its pluck aud 

 spirit in keeping up its field trials as it has done. Of course I know 

 it is, and, as far as I remember anything of it, it has been, inconsis- 

 tent in many things. Mr. Richardson's ease seems decidedly bard 

 and a direct violation of its own printed rules. It is still more" incon- 

 sistent of the Kennel Club to shut out from its Stud Book Birming- 

 ham and Darlington shows, and yet admit the field-trial winners at 

 the National Field Trial at Shrewsbury, who avowedlv repudiate and 

 ignore both it and its rules. I agree with you that it is a great pity we 

 do not see more Irish setters and Gordon setters at the Field Trials. 

 If Col. Starkie would compete next time, we would, I thin k. see a rare 

 team of genuine Gordon goers from the far-famed Huntroyd Ken- 

 nels. If Lord Lovat, Lord Roslyn, Sir John Clark, and other well- 

 known breeders of Gordon setters would only have the pluck to try 

 their dogs at field trials, the public would, I think, be delightfully 

 astonished to see what the handsome, well-bred Gordon can do. 



Hilbre House, West Kirby, May 13. J. Cumming Macdona. 



THE WINNING POINTER PUPPY AT SHREWSBURY. 



Lingo, the winner of the National pointer puppy stake at 

 Shrewsbury, is the daughter of the Westminster Kennel Club's 

 Bang Bang. The following description of her from Land a,nd 

 Water ivill be read with interest ; 



"Lingo, the property of Mr. C. H. Beck, was the actual win- 

 ner. She is, with the exception of a very slight lemon mark- 

 ing of the faintest shade on the ears, pure white in color. Her 

 sire is Bang Bang, the winner of this same stake two years 

 ago, and she is thus the. daughter of a field trial winner, and is 

 one of a long hne of winners having their foundation in one of 

 the grandest pointers of modern days, old Devon Bang. The 

 dam of Lingo is Polly, a bitch that is nearly related to Sir T. 

 Leonard's Priam on his dam's side. Lingo is rather on a small 

 scale, but there is little room to find fault with her in her 

 make and shape. She is built on very much the same lines 

 as her she. Bang Bang, her head in particular looking as if cast 

 in the same mould. She has a fair amount of bone, straight 

 limbs, good chest and fore quarters, is fairly well ribbed up, 

 has wide loins and well-bent stifles. Her pace is good and her 

 action is capital, both before and behind, but she seldom ex: 

 tended herself, pottering about at times in a most aggravating 

 manner. She carries her head but indifferently, and few 

 people who witnessed her earlier heats took her chances of 

 winning into consideration, so remote did they seem ; indeed, 

 we doubt if her breaker thought much of them himself at 

 first. The weather make the trials very "fiuky," so that any 

 dog which did not actually commit the gravest of faults was 

 always ''in the race." In this case the extreme carefulness of 

 the bitch stood her in good need. The scent being so poor, a 

 free-ranging dog, carrying his head as she did, would have 

 been certain to flush frequently. On a fair scenting day, a dog 

 even with a moderate nose only, but that carried bis head well, 

 would give her little chance unless she altered her tactics. We 

 do not, however, wi*h to detract from the merit of her win, 

 which on the whole she deserved." 



CURRENT DOG STORIES. 



XXX. 



There is sorrow in the Fifth street police station. Jack, a 

 nondescript, four-footed member of the force, is under the 

 care of a surgeon. He limped into the station a few nights 

 ago, and mournfully lay down near the stove. One of his 

 forelegs was broken, and he was suffering from internal injur- 

 ies. His recovery is doubtful, but his friends think his strong 

 constitution anrf tenacity will pull him through. Jack, like 

 Moses and other great characters, has no surname. He was 

 born in the Fourth ward, and passed his early years in the 

 pursuit of the quiet-orbed, tortuous-horned goat, and the 

 contents of eating-house ash barrels. After three years of 

 suffering he was adopted by a citizen who passed most of his 

 time in an Allen street barroom. The citizen died, and be- 

 queathed Jack to the barkeeper. One night a drunken man 

 kicked at Jack as he was coining out of the barroom. Jack 

 dodged, and the drunken man's toes struck the door jamb 

 with painful violence. The man, angry beyond control ran 

 after Jack until a policeman interfered with his hostile inten- 

 tions by arresting him. Jack followed the pioliceman and his 

 prisoner to the station. When the policeman returned to his 

 post Jack went after him, and refused to be driven away. At 

 night Jack returned to the station and was formally adopted 

 by the force. Jack has been in the habit of sleeing iu the sta- 

 tion during the day. He leaps up from behind the stove when 

 the gong sounds for the 6 o'clock relief to assemble. When 

 the men are drawn up facing the Captain, Jack places himself 

 solemnly in front of them. At the Captain's order, "present 

 arms." Jack barks. He then selects a policeman from the 

 ranks and follows him out. He remains with the policeman 

 until the roundsman comes along, and he then transfers his 

 attention to the roundsman. He has assisted in capturing 

 thieves, in driving noisy crowds from corners, and in protect- 

 ing property- He was once left at the entrance to a basement 

 in which there was a slight fire, while the policeman turned 

 in an alarm. Jack refused to let the owner of the basement 

 enter until the policeman returned. The bartender who for- 

 merly owned Jack captured him, and tied him up in the bar- 

 room. When the time came for the midnight relief to go out 

 Jack began to howl. He continued howling until morning, 

 when the bartender, who had been kept awake ah night, gave 

 him to the driver of a brewery wagon. The driver tied Jack 

 in the wagon and drove to the brewery. A roundsman from 

 the Fifth street station happened in the brewery and saw 

 Jack tied to a post. Jack emitted a wild bark of recognition 

 and delight, leaped up on his hind legs, broke the rope that 

 bound him and ran to the roundsman. Since his injury Jack 

 has made several efforts to go out with the midnight relief , 



