June 30, 1892.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



617 



The remedy is simply to assort the pack to as nearly one 

 size as possible and weed out the overgrown dogs. 



Thus selected the small dogs will be found "to afford the 

 best sport and prove the most killing pack, giving many 

 more chances to the gun, as the rabbit stays longer above 

 ground than if rushed at foxhound speed by beagles of 

 nearly foxhound size. 



In conclusion, I must thank the Forest and Stream 

 in the name of the beagle fraternity; it has fostered our 

 interests as no other sportsman's paper in the country has, 

 giving us a medium to ventilate, our pet theories and hob- 

 bies relative to the breed, and a chance to interchange ideas, 

 which must prove educators even to the "man who knows 

 it all." L. H. Twaddell. 



West Philadelphia, Pa., Jane 27. 



POINTS AND FLUSHES. 



Chicago, June 25.— In Forest and Stream of June 16 I 

 notice a most able letter from your correspondent "Tar- 

 quin," with whom I have but one fault to find, and that is 

 that he did not begin to give the public the benefit of his 

 views sooner, for he writes in a most logical, practical 

 manner. 



I wish to explain the apparent inconsistency which "Tar- 

 quin'' deftly and delicately called my attention to, as fol- 

 lows: 



"(e) He should retrieve. The reasons why are many. First, 

 because he can do it easier, quicker and more effectively than 

 the shooter; second, the bird may have fallen in grass or 

 weeds where the powers of scent are necessary to its recov- 

 ery; third, I shall insist upon the dog's retrieving until I 

 learn to smell as well as him; fourth, it is nonsensical to 

 talk of the average sportsman in this country keeping a 

 special dog to do the retrieving; and last, but not least, the 

 authorities on this subject all hold that retrieving is an 

 essential. 



"B. Waters * * * has written a work entitled, 'Modern 

 Training, Handling and Kennel Management.' which the 

 public have been pleased to adopt as the standard in this 

 country. Now, there is a legal maxim that the record im- 

 ports absolute verity on its face, and that you cannot go be- 

 hind it. The record: 'Notwithstanding its indispensable 

 value in successful field work, it at times in the first or per- 

 haps also in part of the second season is the source of ob- 

 jectionable traits in relation to other parts of field work, 

 which are more or less associated with it.' We are willing 

 to stand by the record. We think it correct." 



Now, the matter in relation to retrieving, as treated in 

 "Modern Training, Handling and Kennel Management," 

 relates to it as applied in actual field work, not in a field 

 trial; and no one has insisted more firmly than I on the 

 indispensable value of retrieving in field work. Turning 

 now to other arguments urged in its favor. 



A retriever is almost as necessary as a finding dog to make 

 the sport at all enjoyable. Of all the field trial cranks of 

 whom I have any knowledge I do not know of one who dis- 

 putes the value of retrieving. While its necessity and use- 

 fulness are admitted in actual field work, many field trial 

 men oppose it as a competitive quality in field trials, since 

 it comes under the head of educational qualities; in fact it 

 is an act which all dogs, curs included, can learn, and there- 

 fore is not a quality peculiar to setters and pointers. 



But, it is argued and repeated at every turn of the dis- 

 cussion, retrieving at field trials shows whether the dog has 

 the necessary intelligence and disposition to be a good 

 retriever, and also that, if it is abolished at field trials, 

 snortsmen at large will abolish it in practical shooting. 

 Nothing is more improbable. The converse should hold 

 true that, if it is still maintained asapartof field trial work, 

 all sportsmen will have retrievers. There are some men who 

 will not have retrieving setters or pointers, and there are 

 others who will have nothing else, regardless of any field 

 trial legislation. 



Retrieving, being an educational quality, is in the same 

 category with dropping to shot, turning to whistle, staying 

 at heel, dropping to order, etc.,, acts acquired by education. 



But, says the advocate of the retriever, the act should be 

 required at field trials so that it could be determined which 

 dogs performed it the best, and that by breeding it might 

 become hereditary. 



Any intelligent dog can be taught to retrieve passably 

 well, or even may become a finished retriever. But does 

 any man know of an educational act which has become in- 

 stinctive? The horse has been more uniformly and per- 

 sistently educated than the dog, and holds a large place in 

 domestic life in nearly all countries, yet the horse ot to-day 

 has to be carefully educated to the bit, the wagon or saddle, 

 as were his ancestors for centuries before him. Man, the 

 highest type of animal life, has to be carefully educated on 

 the same lines as his ancestors, heredity having no impor- 

 tance in respect to being born with a fixed lot of innate 

 ideas. The language cf the race is learned only by diligent 

 study and constant repetition. Yet, by some mystic means, 

 the dog is supposed to inherit a knowledge of retrieving 

 from an ancestry of yesterday. To be more precise, it is as- 

 sumed that he will do so. The laws of heredity are not es- 

 tablished by off-hand assumption. 



Undoubtedly education strengthens the brain and recep- 

 tive powers of it from generation to generation, just as ex- 

 ercise and training develop and improve the physique: but 

 I believe it only increases the capacity to receive an educa- 

 tion and does not make an education by itself.' It is true 

 that the collie takes kindly to herding sheep and cattle, but 

 it is equally true that a long, careful education is necssary 

 to make his efforts of practical value. Naturally the collie 

 has an aptitude for the work, but he has no education by 

 inheritance. < 



But granting that retrieving is a field trial quality, it 

 could not be tested properly at field trials as conducted at 

 present. It would add greatly to the length of every heat, 

 and therefore would prolong trials which already consume 

 too much time. The tests of retrievers have been few and 

 superficial, one test being usually deemed sufficient. An 

 instance could be mentioned where a dog brought in a bird 

 which, when shot, happened to fall near him, yet he had 

 never retrieved. The act passed for a good retrieve. Had 

 the trial been more thorough it would have been shown that 

 the act was simply emotional or was simply similar to a 

 retrieve, just as a dog will sometimes pick up a stick when 

 it is thrown out. 



From my knowledge of the views of field trial men, I feel 

 certain that all advocate the necessity of retrieving infield 

 work. I know of none who by voice or pen oppose it for 

 actual utility when shooting. In this connection I may say 

 that I do not know of one field trial man who approves 

 of the wide, lawless, headstrong rangers which are the topic 

 betimes. Yet it is assumed that field trial men do favor 

 such, and the assumption is presented as a matter of fact. 



The evolution of field trials in this country has shown a 

 constantly growing sentiment against considering retrieving 

 a competitive quality at field trials, and I believe that it will 

 not be long before all clubs eliminate it from their scale of 

 points. . B. Waters. 



Central Field Trials Club Derby Eatry. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



We find that the subjoined entry was omitted from the 

 list of Derby entries sent you last week: 



Rextcus (Jas.N. Maclin). dog (Van Vleete— May). 



This makes the total number of entries 10S. 



C. H. Odell, Secretary and Treasurer. 



New York City, June 24. 



ANY CASE, AND "MOUNT ROYAL." 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Knowing full well your repugnance to acrid personalities, 

 I abstain from auy such in replying to "Mount Royal's" let- 

 ter in yourissue of June 35, save one, which I do not see how 

 I can avoid. 



"Mount Royal" complains of my insulting him. In this 

 same article, as well as one contributed to the Kennel Ga- 

 zette, he charges, by the most direct implication, that Mr. 

 Mercer has been guilty of lying, swindling or forgery, one, 

 either or all. I challenge any man, anywhere, to produce 

 the line in print written by me, at anv time, anywhere, in 

 any place or paper, in England or here, containing the one- 

 hundredth part of such an insult as this. Take all the time 

 you wish, employ as many searchers as you choose, and I 

 will pay the bill if so monstrous an outrage can be traced to 

 me. I will even advance this position, and say that within 

 all my recollection of doggy strifes, I cannot recall such 

 another outrage on truth, honor and public decency. I 

 always have answered, and always will answer, blow for 

 blow, scorn with scorn, but "Mount Royal" forces the claim 

 from me that I never committed such au outrage or ever 

 whined in response to personal attacks, either from personal 

 enmities moving me, or from baffled spite. On the deter- 

 mination of this I reft my charge against "Mount Royal" 

 of pedagogueism and autocratic deliverances. 



So far I have subordinated defense of Mr. Mercer to at- 

 tacks on "Mount Royal's" courses, holding them most mis- 

 chievous to all kennel interests; now I may take up specific 

 answer to silly assumptions against Mr. Mercer. 

 As I understand, the Ottawa premium list con- 

 tained a usual provision that certain classes would 

 be divided by sex if a certain number of entries 

 were received. The reason is evident, being that the 

 entry money shall warrant the extra prize money, the 

 offer in the premium list is distinct and unquestionably 

 could be enforced in law, and it was thoroughly complied 

 with by Mr. Mercer; every jot or tittle of the implied con- 

 tract between show and exhibitor was fully met, the show 

 made an offer and got the money on which the offer was 

 based. In the name of common sense then, wherein was 

 the Ottawa Club "swindled?" Does it enter into the con- 

 tract that the money may not be paid by one man? It pro- 

 vokes me to hear a complete novice in dog show affairs 

 building up a structure of "fraud," entirely evolved from 

 his own mind, in ignorance that the practice of making en- 

 tries of dogs to fill up classes without any intent of showing 

 them is as old as dog j-hows, has been done hundreds of 

 times, and I have never seen it condemned. As I have said 

 dozens rf times, Mr. Mercer made a great mistake in not 

 securing Mr. Little's consent to bis ("Mr. M.'s) entering the 

 dog, and in this and this alone was he to blame, andlmerely 

 give notice to "Mount Royal" that my head is ready for the 

 club with which he proposes to "beat" his brilliant purism 

 into dogmen's thick skulls, but he had better thicken 

 his headgear before he essays his feat of knight errantry. 



"He who seeks equity must do equity," and he who 

 perches on a height of purity that Aristides never aspired 

 to, must watch his front door. Is it consistent with so 

 elevated a plane to seize a greyhound in the ring and un- 

 mercifully cuff the poor beast's ears because he pricks them 

 before the judge? W. Wade. 



Buxton, Pa., June 25. 



[Both sides have had a hearing in this controversy and it 

 must now cease. ] 



FLAPS FROM THE BEAVER'S TAIL, 



Toronto, Can.— What have the " men who keep just a 

 dog" to grumble at about the Toronto license bye-law? 

 They are in exactly the same position as before. If their 

 "just a dog" happens to be of the female variety and is 

 eligible for registration they save just $2.50; if a dog the fee 

 is the same whether registered or not, $1. Surely this is 

 low enough. 



The datfs of our Canadian bench shows are getting beau- 

 tifully mixed up. Montreal has now jumped in and wants 

 to hold a show in the same week as Kingston. Two shows 

 in one week would doubtless prove fatal to both, and 

 though the C K. C. has no rule plainly stating two shows 

 under kennel club rules may not be held on the same date, 

 priority of claim should certainly give Kingston first place. 



Mr. F. S. Wetherall, Compton, Que., is getting over a 

 brace of wire-haired fox-terriers, of which breed he already 

 has a strong kennel. The doe, Tinderbox, was bred by Mr. 

 A. Duck, whelped July 28, 1890, and is by Jack the Bruiser 

 (champion Bruiser— Carlisle Trick) out of Carlisle Rex 

 (Carlisle Trick— May II.) In color he is white with a black 

 spot over the left eye. His winnings are one second and two 

 thirds, Wolverhampton; one first and two seconds, Mins- 

 bridge; third, Leeds; two seconds, Belfast; two firsts and 

 second, Ripon. The bitch, Merit, was bred by Mr. F. Bagu- 

 ley, Stbw-on-Wold, Gloucester, and has never been shown. 

 She is by Daylesford Mike (Bushy Bruiser (E. 26,504) — Dea- 

 con Star) out of Daylesford Minka (champion Bushy Broom 

 —Daylesford Luck). H. B. Donovan. 



DOGMATICS OF DOGDOM. 



When a mau finds that all reporters, editors, papers and 

 shows are either foolish or unreliable, why does he not take 

 himself hence? 



Many dead dogs, if they could return to life, would be 

 astonished inexpressibly if they could read their ornate, 

 fulsome obituaries in a contemporary; but they would soon 

 discover that the obituaries were written for the edification 

 of owners and were in ratio to the size of stud cards present 

 and prospective. 



Somebody has well said, "Dogmatism is grown-up puppy- 

 ism." You see it every day. 



-§- 



Now that the "recruits" are all accounted for, would it 

 not be well for some statistician to compile a list of repudi- 

 ated, cashiered, sick, crippled and discharged? It might be 

 interesting. The Cynic. 



MR. MIDDLETON AND THE C. K. C. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your Canadian correspondent must have been misled in 

 some manner as to the why and wherefore of the resignation 

 from the Ottawa show committee of my partner, Mr. W. H. 

 Middleton. I happen to know that Mr. Middleton intended 

 resigning some months ago, and for entirely different 

 reasons to those assigned in Forest and Stream. 



While on this question, permit me to say that the C. K. C. 

 can have no jurisdiction in this case under Rule XXV., as 

 the act for which I have been disqualified wasnotcommitted 

 under the kennel name, nor was it in any way connected 

 with the partnership. I, as an individual, entered another 

 man's dog without authority. Mr. Middleton had no 

 knowledge of what was done and is as innocent as an un- 

 born babe. But that is beside the point, which is, that I, 

 and I alone, am the one to blame for what was done, and 

 Mr. Middleton has no more connection with it than has the 

 restless "Mount Royal." The C, K. C. need not be worried 

 over the matter of my partner's retirement from the Ottawa 

 Executive. F. H. F. Merger. 



JsEw York. 



DOG CHAT. 



IN that excellent publication on "The Scientific Education 

 of Dogs for the Gun," a book that every sportsman should 

 I have in his library, the author gives some useful advice on 

 feeding dogs. He says: "Feeding is a most important 

 point. My habit has always been with regard to puppies up 

 to four or five months old to feed three times a day. Break- 

 fast at seven, bread and new milk; luncheon at twelve, strong 

 soup, thickened with boiled oatmeal or biscuit; dinner at 

 six, the principal feed, and nothing is better than Spratts 

 biscuits soaked in cold water at night, boiled in the morning, 

 and then mashed with the hand into a porridge. Give 

 boiled cabbage minced up fine, and well mixed with this 

 last twice or thrice a week. After four or five months omit 

 the luncheon at twelve, and milk altogether, except occas- 

 ionally, for variety. Give soup and bread, and all the 

 moderate-sized bones you can get for breakfast, and after 

 two or three months more you can omit the soup and give 

 one biscuit, dry or soaked (I prefer dry) for breakfast. Make 

 it a hard-and-fast rule never to allow any food of any sort, 

 except a bone, to remain in a dog's pan uneaten: remove it 

 at once as soon as he shows signs of having satisfied his 

 appetite, or sooner if he is a voracious feeder. Never give 

 any food of any sort which is not perfectly sweet and fresh, 

 i. c, in a condition in which you would eat it yourself. 

 Every now and then give a dinner of well-cleaned and boiled 

 paunches, or of fresh cooked meat instead of the biscuit." 



Snap is the name of a fox-terrier who is devoting his 

 young life to missionary work in the Harlem Hospital. He 

 never misses an ambulance call, being always ready for the 

 ride long before the doctor who answers the call, and when 

 the injured person is once in the wagon he watches over 

 him or ber with unceasing vigilance. Only a few days ago 

 he saved one of the doctors from serious injury at the 

 hands of an insane patient. The doctor was sitting on the 

 rear seat of the ambulance, while Snap watched the patient. 

 By some means the man released the upper portion of hi3 

 body from the restraining straps and was about to strike 

 the surgeon on the head, when Snap saw the danger and 

 jumped at the man. He bit bis nose so badly that the doc- 

 tor was made aware of the condition of affairs, and with 

 the aid of a policeman again strapped the man down. 



The collie does not often pose as a human life saver so 

 we take this opportunity to give this breed its due meed of 

 praise. The St. Louis Republican says: "A noble shepherd 

 dog, the property of Joseph Langin, performed a remarka- 

 ble feat yesterday afternoon that entitles him to wear a 

 medal for bravery. The brave animal plunged from the 

 foot of Soulard street into the raging torrent of the Missis- 

 sippi and seizing a drowning man by the collar of his coat 

 swam with him to the shore, thus saving him from certain 

 death. The rescued man was Joseph Reinert, a German 

 21 years of age, who resides in the same house with Langin. 

 Some words passed between them and Reinert, who had be- 

 come very morose, vowed that he would commit suicide. 

 He then left the house and ran down to the river. Langin 

 followed but by the time he arrived on the levee Reinert had 

 plunged into the water and was being swept rapidly from 

 view. Langiu was helpless to save him, as he could not 

 swim, but his dog, who had followed unobserved behind, 

 plunged into the rushing water and reached Reinert just as 

 he was disappearing. The dog swam ashore with his bur- 

 den with great difficulty. Reinert was revived at the Police 

 Station and then sent home. 



Continuing our account of the English Kennel Club show 

 we remark that the mastiffs shown, though few in numbers 

 were of fair quality, there have been so few young ones bred 

 lately ihat the classes are not filled as they should be. II- 

 ford County Member won this time in the open dog class 

 and also the challenge dog cup. It is possible this dog may 

 find a home in this country, though he seems to be a rather 

 "see-saw" sort of a winner. Dr. Turner, however, showed 

 a beautiful bitch in Seabreeze that is said to be without any 

 serious defect and about the best now before the public. 

 She won the challenge cup for the best bitch in all classes. 

 She is a daughter of Beaufort and Cambrian Princess, the 

 latter of which is now in this country. In St. Bernards the 

 quality was good. Siegfried won in the open dog classes 

 and is said to be much improved. He also won the 100- 

 guinea challenge cup. Starboard, the second winner, is 

 very well spoken of as a good all round dog. The bitches 

 were not so good, Haidee being the best, though very 

 straight-faced. 



Newfoundlands were very good and so were the great 

 Danes, and classes were well filled. "Borzois" have evi- 

 dently caught on, but recent importations have mixed the 

 question of type more than ever, and a big deerhoundlike- 

 looking dog would seem to be the correct article. Krilutt 

 won in the challenge class, but Golub, the winner in the open 

 class, is a dog of different type and not so distinctively 

 Russian— and so it goes. Whirlwind, one of the Krilutt- 

 Elsie litter that Mr. Wade bred, won the special as the best 

 of the breed bred in England and is spoken of as a very 

 good quality dog. The bitches were very good, Lebedka 

 being the best. Henmore King was the king-pin in grey- 

 hounds. 



Old Saddlebags was the champion in pointers and a dog 

 called Graphic Seeundus won in the open dogs. Devonshire 

 Cream won in bitches, Ightfield Deuce, that is well known 

 to our field trial men, won the field trial class prize. Mr. S. 

 Potter's Geltsdale won in challenge English setters, and is 

 said to be a grand specioien. Mr. R. B Lee showed the 

 winner of the open class in Richmond, a wonderfully-coated 

 dog with no particular faults excepting open feet. Mabel of 

 Coleshill, as usual, won in bitches." Champion Heather 

 Grouse was the challenge winner in Gordon dogs and Heather 

 Blossom from the same kennel won in the corresponding 

 class. The Irish setters only numbered thirty entries in all 

 but the judge remarks that the quality has not depreciated. 

 He adds that there seems to be a tendency on the part of 

 breeders to go in for the darker colored ones of the breed 

 and the Irish Setter Club's standard color, "golden chest- 

 nut," seems to be somewhat ignored. He also thinks the 

 dark color is accompanied by light feathering, almost ap- 

 proaching whiteness. Fingal III, and Geraidine II. were 

 the challenge winners and Harlech, a strongly, well-built 

 dog pulled off the open dog prize. The winner in hitches, 

 F. H. Bass's Blossom IV., the judge is evidently in love 

 with — lovely head, orthodox color, good legs, plenty of 

 bone, all the rest good, including expression and a beauti- 

 ful profile. "It is very difficult to find a fault with her." 

 Old champion Aveline won the field trial class prize. 



Spaniels were very good, hardly a bad one among them. 

 Champion Shaun and' Harp were the challenge winners. 

 Clumbers showed up well, with old champion Hotpot in the 

 van. Holmes' Hermit was the open dog class winner. The 

 judge says it is evidently difficult to keep the bitch class up 

 to standard in bead, muzzle and expression of eyes, and DL 

 Friar is deficient in some of these, but her other good points 

 fully make up for it. The judge adds that one observation 

 seems to be called for, "that the markings appear to have 

 become too dark; in fact, the real old lemon color was 

 hardly to be seeD, if at all." Beverley Comet and Beverley 

 Topsey were the challenge field spaniel winners. In open 

 dot's, Bridford Brilliant is described as a grand young dog, 

 and the well-known Bridford Perfection, the winner in 

 bitches, the judge says Ins extraordinary length, but with 

 nothing of the "weasei" type about her. The cockers do not 

 seem to be up to any great form. 



