THE SMALLER SPANIEL. 
711 
latter, but also possesses many of his habits, combined with 
the lively and active disposition of them both. From the 
beauty and temper of the cocker, he has been very gene¬ 
rally diffused throughout the kingdom, and on these ac¬ 
counts he is more frequently a companion of the parlour 
than used for the sports of the field. 
It is the unalterable nature of the cocker to spring, flush, 
or start all the game before them, and they pursue without 
distinction, hare, pheasant, partridge, woodcock, snipe, quail, 
and plover. It consequently becomes necessary to hunt 
them within gun-shot of covert, and they never should be 
allowed, if possible, to go beyond call of the sportsman, 
or his whistle ; the following beautiful passage, from Somer¬ 
ville, depicts the cocker in field-sports :— 
u 13ut if the shady woods my cares employ. 
In quest of feathered game my spaniels beat, 
Puzzling th’ entangled copse ; and from the brake 
Push forth the whirling pheasant; higher in air 
He weaves his varied plumes, stretching away 
With hasty wing. Soon from the uplifted tube 
The mimic thunder bursts, the leaden death 
O’ertakes him, and, with many a giddy whirl, 
To earth he falls, and at my feet expires.” 
THE SMALLER SPANIEL, OR KING CHARLES^ COCKER. 
This beautiful little dog is considerably less than the 
cocker, to which he is closely allied in character and form ; 
he has, however, much longer ears, and the tail is also longer 
in proportion to the size of his body. Like the springer 
and cocker, he is extremely fond of pursuing birds of all 
kinds, and like them, also, he gives tongue in the pursuit. 
His diminutive size unfits him for field-sports. He is easily 
tired, and his legs too short to get through swampy ground. 
