Sec. 3, 189S.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



479 



Hempstead Farm Kennels' liver and white pointer dog 

 Hempstead Duke (Duke of Hessen— Lass of Bow), A. Came- 

 ron, handler, with T. T. Ashford's black and white pointer 

 dog King Elgin (King of Kent— Vera Bang), J. M. A vent, 

 handler. 



First Series. 



Miss R-ubt akd Dick Fox opened the competition at 3:40. 

 Soon Miss made a .good point oa a bevy and was well 

 backed by Dick. To shot, both were steady. Dick flushed 

 a single. In the thicket, a quail was heard to give three or 

 four sharp notes of distress, and a moment afterward a 

 small bawivrose just clear of the undergrowth and heavy- 

 winged, flew away with the quail iu his talons. Unfortu- 

 nately, the guns were not loaded and the marauder escaped 

 ■unharmed. The quail did not come back. Miss in a short 

 time found and nicely pointed a bevy in the open, and was 

 nicely backed by Dick". As Miss moved on, Dick passed close 

 by the bevy, having the wind (jf ir,, yet he failed to recognize 

 any sceut. Each got a point on scattered birds, and soon 

 thej-eafter Dick backed Miss' point on another bevv in the 

 open field, both doing their part stylishly. A single point 

 by Miss concluded the work on birds. Her .iudgmeut and 

 skill \ver(- excellent, Dick had speed and fair range, but as a 

 bird finder and in point work he was surpassed by Miss. 



Dios G. ASO CnEVALiEP. were started at 3:13. " Dion soon 

 drew lip on a point to a bevy by the edge of a ditch. He was 

 steady to shot. Chevalier pointed on top of a hill, probably 

 on footscent, as a couple of birds were flu.shed some yards 

 away from the iKjint by horsemen. At 3:30, they were taken 

 to other grounds, a shooter having disturbed the birds iu 

 that .section. In twenty minutes they were again sent on 

 and ran till 4:12. No more birds were found. Chevalier was 

 the speedier and wider ranger, though he started away in 

 sti-aight lines, or started away much as it happened without 

 any intelligent plan in his work. Diou was diligent in hunt- 

 ing for birds. In pace he was moderate and his range was 

 not wide. 



.Roi d'Or AXD Grouse were cast offl at 4:17. Grouse soon 

 secured a point on two or three birds in open sedge and was 

 unsteady to shot. Roi made a half point and nothing was 

 found to it. Grouse pointed ne.\'t a lievy and two singles, 

 Ami was unsteady each time. Up at i-S>3. ' He \A-as the Mjider 

 and better ran.ner, worked his ground cunningly and was 

 in a sneaky way unceasing iu his efforts to find birds. Roi 

 was diligent, a bit heavy in his gallop from too much fle.sh 

 and not equal to his short-haired competitor as a bird finder 



HOPK'.S QujiEK AXD WINNIPEG started at 5:03. Each dog 

 ■worked within a narrow limit at the start. Winnipeg po£ 

 tered a great deal. Queen pointed a. bevy and on the scat- 

 tered birds picked up several points. Winnipeg flushed one 

 and pointed one. The heat lasted a little over 30m., with the 

 work of it in Queen's favor 



THURSDAY. 



The weather was very similar to that of vesterday: the 

 same dense fog in the morning, the same clear warm day 

 after the fog was dispelled, though there was a dilference in 

 the latter part of the afternoon when heavy black clouds 

 obscured the sky and rain threatened, though none fell. 

 . The competition was on dilierent ground from that of 

 previous days and was west from town. There were more 

 cover and rougher grounds, though not unfavorable to goorl 

 work. Birds were not found so plentifully as on previous 

 days. 



There were fifteen dogs taken into the second series 

 whereas seven or eight would have amply filled the pur- 

 poses of the competition. Playing to the gallery or to the 

 whims of owners is not any part of a field trial competition. 

 Some of the dogs taken into the second series ware palpably 

 inferior, and even the owners could not have expected a 

 further trial of them. Encouragement to owners must be 

 presented in some other form than running their dogs when 

 they are palpably defeated. Moreover, there is an element 

 of insincerity in running dogs as if they really had a chance 

 to win when they have no chance. Up to the point of select- 

 ing the second series the judges had conducted the competi- 

 tion admirably and handled it well afterward, too. 



Sa^^ford Dreid and Codnt Gladstone began at 9:50 and 

 ran thirty-five minutes. The heat was a poor one, and in 

 point work fell far short of the opportunities. Druid was 

 seen to leave a plum thicket, where he had been some mo- 

 ments, after whicii Coimt entered and a bevy was seen to 

 flush from the thicket. The birds lit in open and plum 

 thicket about KlOyds. away, and Count was in their \icinitv 

 a few moments afterward and pointed to a flush. Next he 

 flushed a single bird on a cast some distance from his 

 handler, and next he pointed some .scattered birds. He was 

 self-willed and reqtiired much whistling and loud orders. 

 Sent on after the scattered birds Count pointed one, and 

 pointed to wing as some scattered birds flushed. Part of the 

 time he did not work to the gun, and hLs handling was noisy 

 and difficult. His work on birds was below the average 

 The one quality he excelled in was uniform high speed, 

 which he largely misapplied. Druid was disposed to be over- 

 cautious and constrained when on scent, pointing inaccur- 

 ately, and his speed was irregular as was also his range 



Mecca and Antevolo started at 10:39 and ran till 11:31, 

 excepting fourteen minutes occupied in vacating the land of 

 an irate owner or tenant. Mecca started a bit slow but grad- 

 ually i ncreased his range, sometimes searching wide and well, 

 sometimes narrow and leisurely. In the open, Antevolo 

 pointed a bevy and Mecca backed. Mecca got a point on one 

 of the scattered birds. Antevolo was speedy but irregular in 

 range. 



Dot Rogers and Hope's Mi>rT began at 11:46 and ran 34ra. 

 Dot pointed a bevy in pines and Mint pointed or backed, pre- 

 sumably the latter. Both were steady to shot. Dot in thicket 

 pointed a single, and sent on in the open pointed a single and 

 was backed by Mint. The latter made two points to which 

 nothing was fouud. He ranged in a narrow scope and was 

 not spirited in his work. Dot was fast and had a fair range, 

 although she was running in playfulness part of the time 

 and not seeking for birds. 



Bess and Boh Cooper started at 12:33 and ran thirty min- 

 utes, when the rvmning was suspended while lunch was in 

 order. Bob made a point on a bevy and Be.ss backed or 

 pointed. Bob got a point on a single and was backed, Bess 

 was neither fast nor a wide ranger, nor did she show any en- 

 thusiasm. Bob showed little merit as a competitor. 



Laby Margaret a>"d Eugene T. were started at l;5i. 

 Lady pointed a bevy well by the edge of woods and was 

 steady to shot. Eugene showed good speed and range, while 

 Lady, though diligent, was a bit irregular in her range, not 

 remaining out at her work so constantly as she could have 

 done, yet she kept up a good rate of speed. Up at 3:55, 



Hempstead Duke and Kent Elgin began at 3:48 and ran 

 49 minutes. Duke made game, but failed to locate. In 

 woods, Kent pointed a bevy, and Duke, coming in, made an 

 independent point on the same bevy. Duke made two points 

 to which nothing was foimd. Sent on, Kent pointed a bevy 

 and Duke hacked. Each ranged very well, covering a good 

 scope and maintaining a fast gait. 



Lucky Deal had a bye and ran alone. Mr. Titus taking 

 the charge of the judging of her while the preceding heat was 

 being run. She was .started at 3:49 and ran 30 minutes. She 

 ranged irregularly, much of the time close to her handler. 

 She made several flushes on scattered birds. 



Second Series. ■ 



Miss Rubt Aijd Dion C. started at 3:55 and ended at 4:11. 

 Miss Ruby was the better rauger and had the faster pace. 

 Diou pointed a bevy, then moved ou resolutely, and .Miss 

 Ruby coming in pointed the bevy. To shot Dion was some- 

 what unsteady, and the heat then ended. 



Dick Fox and Chevaubb, at 4;12, began their heat. Dick 



pointed near the edge of briers, and Chevalier, about 80yds. 

 away iu the open field backed proudly. Dick did not have 

 the birds accurately. He took a short turn, crossed the fence 

 into the -R-oorls and pointed the bevy. On the scattered birds 

 each got a point. Dick took a^ back cast in woods atid pointed, 

 and Chevalier backed. It probably was on footscent. On 

 the rise of the bevy. Rose had shot toward it without aiming, 

 and wounded several birds, Each dog pointed twice on the 

 crippled singles. Chevalier was headstrou.g and required a 

 deal of whistline: and loud orders in handling him. He beat 

 out his ground with inferior judgment, and needed prompt- 

 ing and helping a great deal in searching for bevies. Dick 

 was ranging fast and with judgment, and devoting his atten- 

 tion to hunting for birds. Chevalier followed him betimes. 

 As the dogs were ordered up, Dick caught scent in the open 

 field and the ne.xt moment stifl'ened on a point on a bevy. He 

 made an excellent showing. Up at 4:36. 



Dot Rogers and Grouse began at 4:43. Dot ran in high 

 spirits, but was not always seeking for birds iu her casts. 

 Grouse was earnestly intent on bird finding, sneakingly skirt- 

 ing the edge of likely places, and feeling the air carefully 

 with his nose, which he carried rather low. In woods he 

 pointed an outlying single, which he flu.shed and chased. 

 Cast back to where he pointed, he pointed the bevy. On the 

 scattered birds Dot crouched prettily to a point on a single. 

 Grouse pointed to a flush, and next he pointed, roaded to 

 locate and the bird flushed wild ahead. He made another 

 point on two birds, Dot backing him well. LTp at 5:10. This 

 heat ended the day's work. 



FRIDAY. 



A sharp freeze took place in the night, sufficient to make 

 ice and freeze the surface of the ground. The rough mud of 

 the roads the night before was^solid in the morning, and 

 made a most lumpy surface for the Avagons to run over three 

 miles to the grounds. As the sun mounted higher the wind 

 died away and the weather turned warmer^ Birds were 

 found in ample quantities. They lay remarkably well tfi the 

 points. The work of the day was, as a whole, inferior. 

 There was no dog which showed even good work. The 

 judges managed the competition skillfully, and demon- 

 strated their ability to perform first-class judging. 



Kent Elgin and Ladv Margaret began at 9:10 and ran 

 16m. Lady beat cuif but little ground. "Kent ranged wide 

 and at .good speed, ljut selected the easy going No birds 

 were found. 



Hemp.strad Duke and Eugent; T. started at 9:33, and 

 Duke made a flush ou a bevy. Eugene pointed scattered 

 birds in pines. Both pointed iu sedge and no birds were 

 found. On a bevy marked down in the onen Eugene roaded 

 almost through them, then dropped to a point. Eugene 

 flushed two. Both ranged well, but their bird work was 

 ragged. Up at 10:10. 



Hope's Queen and Antevolo started at 10:11. Queen 

 made three points, to which there was nothing found. Ante- 

 volo was much the wider ranger and swifter in pace. 



Count Gladstone and Mecca were cast off in a cornfield 

 at 10:43. Mecca pointed a bev.y and Count coming in after- 

 ward from the side pointed the same be\'y. To those who 

 did not seethe occurrence it looked as if Count was pointing 

 and Mecca backing. Mr. Avent went forward, flushed the 

 birds and the dogs were steady to shot. Count next made a 

 half point on a cripple which was flushed behind him. Sent 

 on Count broke away from controL Mr. Avent mounted a 

 horse and after some minutes found him and brought him 

 back. The dugs were again .started together. In woods on 

 scattered birds Mecca puinted one aud was a bit unsteady. 

 Count pointed a single and was steady to shot. Mecca made 

 twn points to whicn there was nothing found and Count, 

 made a similar point. Each dog then at the s:ime time 

 pointed separately on singles, lu the walk through the 

 woods .single birds were fltx.shed right and left by the specta- 

 tors on ground gone over by the'dogs. They made a poor 

 showing con.sidering their many opportunities. Count had 

 greater speed and ran wider, though it could not be called a 

 range in any useful sense. Up at 11:45. 



Antevolo and Kent Elgin were cast off at 1:01, after 

 lunch. In open weeds Antevolo roaded up a bevy to a flush 

 most carelessly aud indifl"erently. About 100yds. further iu 

 the open weeds was another bevy. Antevolo pointecl it and 

 at the same time KeniL, a few yards away, was half pointing 

 and shoNved indecision almost in the middle of the bevy. 

 The whole resulted in the birds being awkwardly flmshed. 

 There were two or three large bevies scattered in the open, 

 the bevies having lit near each other. There never was a 

 better opportunity for a dog to run up a large score of .single 

 bird points. Antevolo broke away from control and ranged 

 elsewhere while Kent roaded through the birds and got a 

 point on a single and a fl ush on another, while the spectators 

 following flushed 30 or 40 birds by ones twos and threes. 

 It was slobbery work. Up at 1:15. 



Count Gladstone Aia) Kent Elgin began the final heat 

 of the stake at 1:30. Kent pointed up xvind of a bevy in corn. 

 Avent held him ou point and whistled vigorously for Count, 

 the latter out of sight and heedless of the importunate calls. 

 Kent roaded up wind a piece, gave up the trail and no further 

 etifort was made to locate the birds. After the dog moved 

 on, the birds were seen rtinuing in the cornfield near where 

 Kent pointed and they were flushed by a horseman. In the 

 open, Kent pointed a bevy nicely and Count backed. Both 

 were steady to shot and wing. Up at 1:40. Count liad the 

 jireater speed aud ran wider. Kent showed a superiority in 

 finding and working to the gun. Count, save in the one 

 quality of speed, showed very ordinary field quality. 



The judges announced the winners as follows: Miss Ruby 

 first, Dick Fox second, Kent Elgin and Count Gladstone 

 divided third. 



SATURDAYS 

 The New Subscription Stake. 



The drawing took place on Friday night, the five starters, 

 Hempstead Duke and Topsy Rod, Miss Ruby and Count 

 Gladstone, running in the order mentioned, with Rip Rap a 

 bye. The latter is owned by the Charlottesville Field Trial 

 Kennels, is by King of Kent— Hops, is black and white in 

 color and was handled by C. E. Buckle. The others have 

 been mentioned in the preceding stakes. 



The morning was clear aud frosty. It was arranged that 

 Mr. Titus would take charge of Rip Rap's competition on 

 the grounds w^est of town, while the rest; of the competition 

 was run on the .grounds east of town, thus saving a tuU day 

 in time -with no detriment to the trials. There were mucu 

 fewer birds aud rougher cover and grounds west of town, 

 hence Rip Rap could not make the showing iu number of 

 bevies found aud points made as his competitors on the bet- 

 ter grounds. It was much harder for him to work alone, too. 

 Mr. Cameron delayed the start by not appearing on lime, 

 and barely escaped being shut out. 



_ The conditions of the stake w^ere S.50 entrance, subscrip- 

 tion transferable. 50 per cent, to first, 30 per cent, to sec- 

 ond, 30 per cent, to third. S350 added to first by club. 

 First Series. 



ToPSY's Rod and He.mpste.\d Duke began at 8:29. Topsy 

 beat out about twice as much ground as his competitor. The 

 going was hard owing to the ground being frosty and frozen 

 so that it was the more punishing to the faster dog. He was 

 decidedly .superior in his point work. He foimd four bevies, 

 and showed quickness, dash and accuracy in pointing. Of 

 points on scatrered birds he made many. He is much the 

 easiest dog to handle of Mr. Avent's string of competitors. 

 Duke's pace was but moderate comparatively and his rano-e 

 fair. He false pointed several times, ,and made errors by 

 flushing awkwardly. Up at 10:39. Their afternoon heat 

 began at 1:15. The frost had been thawed by the warmer 



temperature and the footing was better. Rod maintained 

 his pace throughout, and was going quite as strong at the 

 finish as at the beginning. Rod found two bevies and the 

 third one was pointed by both. On single birds, he greatly 

 surpassed his competitor, he being sharper, more accurate 

 and enthusiastic. About fifteen minutes before the heat 

 ended, Duke suddenly collapsed from cramp or a fit, and the 

 signs seemed unfavorable for Duke's further stay in this 

 world. After a few minutes he recovered and gamely tried 

 to go on hunting, but he was too incapable to go much. 

 There was not much go left in him at the end of the heat. 



Miss RuET AND Count Gladstone began their first two 

 hours at 10:45. Miss Ruby got a point on the remaining half 

 of a bevy after flushing the first part of it. Their work after- 

 ward was very clean on bevies and singles, though in this 

 respect Miss Ruby was something better. Count made a lit- 

 tle wider fling at times, yet their range was nearly equal, as 

 also was their speed. The heat ended at 13:4.5. They were 

 both a bit fatigued. They started on the second two hours 

 at 1:18. Miss Ruby became very fatigued in the last part of 

 the heat. Up to about the middle of the heat there was lit- 

 tle difl'erence lu point work. In the last half he greatly out- 

 worked her, doing good work on bevies and singles, the lat- 

 ter being a weak feature of his ordinary work. He handled 

 more easily. Miss Ruby was not prepared with a view to 

 this event. 



Rip Rap (a bye).— He was put down at 10. He started a 

 bit slow% but soon caught an easy, swinging stride which he 

 maintained well until 13 o'clock noon when the first heat 

 ended. His range was but modestly wide, yet he worked his 

 grotmd out cunningly, selecting such places for searching as 

 bevies would be most likely to frequent. He located skill- 

 fully aud was most reliable on point, holding every one 

 steadily until the bird was flushed. His work, too, was 

 nicely done with reference to the gun. Many of the bevies 

 found were not followed. Rip showed that he cotxld have 

 made a large string of points on singles had he been worked 

 on them. In his second heat he ranged slower than in the 

 forenoon, and toward the last of the heat was easing up in 

 his ranging betimes. The handler rode on horseback or 

 went afoot, as he pleased. Nearly an hour was used before a 

 find was made. Going down wind just after crossing a ditch, 

 and flushed an outlying single, then pointed well on the 

 bevy. By searching the likely corners well he found another 

 bevy in sedge and made a good point on it. He got three 

 good points on the scattered birds of it and made one flush 

 going down wind. After more diligent searching he pointed 

 an outlying single, and when it was flushed the bevy flushed 

 wild shortly afterward. Next he pointed and nothing was 

 found. He next was started after lunch, at 3:56. He wheeled 

 prettily to a good point on a bevy in stubble. He flushed a 

 bird iu woods. Sent on, he located a bevy skillfully in woods 

 and pointed it staunchly. He made four good points on the 

 scattered birds and one flush. Nothing more was found be- 

 fore the heat ended, though much ground was worked out. 



Nov. 37.— [Spcciai to i or est and Stream.]— The Eastern 

 Club's Subscription Stake was finished by noon to-day. 

 Count Gladstone was first, Topsy Rod second and Rip Rap 

 third. Count and Rod ran together 30m., and Rip Rap ran 

 in better form with Ruby for one hour. B. Waters. 



GORDON SETTER FIELD TRIALS. 



The initial trials of the Gordon Setter Field Trials Club 

 were brought to a conclusion late in the afternoon of Nov. 31. 

 Considering the hasty manner in which these trials were 

 arranged, great credit is due to Secretary Mr. Chas. R. Tay- 

 lor for his sacce.ss in bringing so many Gordons together. Hi 

 fact no one who has the good of the field dogs at heart could 

 but be agreeably .surprised at the comparatively large num- 

 ber of entries made, especially when one considers the fact 

 that it was entirely a New England entry. None of the bet- 

 ter known kennels such as Dr. Di.Non's, James Blossom's and 

 others were represented, and for the good of the breed these 

 breeders should at least have countenanced the enterprise by 

 sending an entry or two even if their dogs were not keyed up. 

 to field trial pitch. They would not have sufltered greatly by 

 comparison, as but few of the dogs that ran seemed to have^ 

 had nuich preliminary work in the field. Several of them 

 were as fat and looked as trim and as glossy as if they had 

 just roused themselves from their master's hearth rug. 

 Owing to the disadvantages under which the Gordon labors ■ 

 in this country, where he is scarcely considered a quota in 

 the field element, it would scarcely be advisable to criticise 

 the work done in these trials with too heavy a pen. At the 

 same time there were two or three exceptions that showed 

 work quite on a par with the average work seen in the more 

 pretentious field trials between English setters and pointers. 

 Taken as a whole, however, the running was mediocre, there 

 was altogether too much pottering and nosing out of old 

 trails that a more practical dog would never consider for an 

 instant. There was also a good deal of hesitation on points, 

 and most of the dogs were deflcient in nose qualities. This, 

 combined with the great scarcity of game, made the trials 

 rather tedious, aud many of the dogs had to be judged simply 

 on suppo.9ition, as they failed to find game. Still, I don't, 

 think the judges erred iu their deci.sious, for they certainly 

 picked out the best dogs iu both stakes. 



The trials were advertised to start at East Freetown, Ma«s. 

 a very rural district some ten miles from Fall River, Mass! 

 The headquarters were at a farmhouse about five miles from 

 the little station, and there being little provision for the 

 entertainment of hungry sportsmen the visitors did not fare 

 as well as they would have liked. The provident ones had 

 secured beds in the house before coming down, but several 

 others were not so lucky and were compelled to put up with 

 the soft side of a board floor in the barn. This, with the 

 thermometer down at freezing point, could not have been a 

 very genial experience. The grounds hunted over were very 

 rough and totally unflt for the purposes of a trial, as may be 

 surmised when the whole day's work in the Derby resulted 

 iu no birds being found. One of the judges, Mr. A R. 

 Sharpe, a member of the New England Field Trial Club' 

 offered the new club the court:esy of finishing their trials on 

 the club grounds at Assonefc, Mass., about eight miles away. 

 This proposition was gladly accepted, and ou Tuesday morn- 

 ing at r o'clock the oarty drove do wn to Assouet and com- 

 pleted the trial ou the old grounds. Here the prospect of 

 finding birds was a little better, but the scarcity of game 

 proved conclusively that the N. E F. T. Club were wise in 

 declaring their trials off this year. The grounds have been 

 improved by some cultivation and if the club could only 

 devise some means to protect the birds they turn down, next 

 year no doubt they would be well able to briug off their 

 trials successfully. Among the visitors who followed the 

 dogs during the two days' work were Noyes BiUings 

 DotlgeviUe, Mass.; J. ,J. Scanlan, Pall River, Mass.; Walter 

 liaylis and Dr. Heywood, Taunton, Mass.; J. W WeUs 

 Attleboro, Mass.; C. T. Bro\suiell and W. Tomlinson, Ne-vv 

 Bedford, Mass.; J. J. Pearle, Hampden, Conn,; J. J. Arnold 

 Lonsdale, R. I.; M. Med bury, Providence, R. I • S h' 

 Roberts. Pawtucket, R, I.; Cnarles R. Taylor, Providence" 

 R. I. The judges were Mr. A. R. Sharpe, of Taunton, Mass • 



who IS well knowu as a setter breeder aud whose do"-s ran 

 in the N. E. F. T. C. trials last^year, and Mr. J. A. Law- 



well i 



son, ot Providence, who is also an English setter man They 

 performed their duties well and .satLsfactorily. we believe to 

 theowTjer.s, They followed the work closely aud were not 

 afraid to go wherever the dogs went, and that is saying a 

 good deal, for some of this swampy ground is not by any' 

 means plea.sant going. They kept the dogs on the move at a 

 good pace, in fact quicker than we walked at Mitchell's Bay. 

 The Derby. 



For Gordon setters born on or after Jan. 1, 1893, S5 forfeit^ 



