 Section 4 of The American Book of the Dog. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Jill Ingle. The American Book of the Dog, G.O. Shields Editor. Section 4. The American Gordon Sutter by Harry Malcolm, President of the American Gordon Sutter Club. The origin of this famous breed of setters dates back 89 years ago or more to the Duke of Gordon's castle whence its great fame as a field dog has spread far and wide. It was from the Duke of Gordon that our favorite derived his name. And but for this nobleman we should never have known or been able to perpetuate this nae plus ultra of handsome setter dogs. About the year 1859 the first specimens of this breed were introduced in England and were there called the Black and Tan or Gordon Sutter. They were bred and shown in England of immense size and were entirely too heavy in make to please the majority of English sportsmen and but for the old stock in Scotland which were merry little workers and but for the careful breeding of some English and American lovers of field sports which resulted in getting him back to his proper size for practical field form. We should not today have the handsomest and grandest field dog it has ever been the writers good fortune to follow a field day in and day out. Writing of the show bench in England, Stonehenge says referring to Kent his grand head and rich color drew general attention to him taking prize after prize at Cremorn, Birmingham four times, Islington twice, Worcester and Paris. His extraordinary career naturally caused a great amount of jealousy and he was called by the opposition party a cur, a mongrel, a half bloodhound and a dozen other heart names. So convinced however was Mr. Pierce of his purity of breeding that he determined to put the matter to the test of experiment and offered to trust one of his stock out of Regent to the care of the writer of this article to be brought up where he could not possibly see game and at the proper age, namely nine or ten months to be first introduced to it. The result was in accordance with Mr. Pierce's prophecy where the puppy not only beat his ground in fine style but at the end of a few hours work began to stand his birds as only a well-bred pointer or setter will do without any artificial education of any kind. Of course the report of this trial added greatly to Kent's reputation and being followed by the successes of Rex, the above puppy at Stafford and Truesbury where he won three cups beating in the final trial Mr. Fields, Duke and English setter who had gained a high reputation in previous years. Kent had so strong a run at the stud for several years that it would be difficult at the present day to find a black and tan setter without a strain of his blood. Mr. Pierce's Regent had several large letters by him including Rex, young Kent, Ewan, Lorraine, Dain, Deal and Silk all winners at shows or field trials. I quote the above for the reason that no purebred Gordon's pedigree today can be found that does not trace to Kent and the above-named dogs and end with such well-known Gordon setters as Lord Ballingbrook's Argyle and Ruby I or Coward's Sam, Joplin's Nell or Friday and Fan Duke of Gordon's Grouse, Duke of Gordon's Nell or to Zango, Zara, Major, Nep, Drill or Mopsa. Coming down to the present day we find that the Gordon setter in America is called by the opposition all the hard names they can think of because some men who breed dogs simply for show breed them to a size that utterly unfits them for fieldwork. In fact, many of these so-called Gordon's were not Gordon's but a cross-bred dog. Their being black and tan in color was sufficient to mislead the amateur and the unsophisticated judge. Their owners called them Gordon's, exhibited and sold them as such and as a field dog they were a failure. The purebred Gordon had to suffer the odium cast upon him by these imposters whereas if the amateur had purchased a breeders who could trace pedigrees to the above-named dogs he would have been a happier and wiser man. A dog who was simply a prize winner no matter if he is not purebred or is even gun-shy or has never seen a game is more valuable by the average mug-hunter than the finest field dog in the country. The bench shows were to blame in a measure at least for this state of affairs in having only one class in which this breed could enter and that for black and tan setters when in fact they should have had a class for Gordon's setters and the black and tan should have been in the cross-bred or English class. To remedy this evil and save the Gordon's setter from the odium that was being cast upon him by having to be entered in the same class with the black and tan causing the best specimens of the Gordon's setter to be kept at home for many years the field sportsmen and lovers of the purebred Gordon's setter met and formed a club known as the American Gordon's setter club. We went before the American Kennel Club requesting them to give us a class in the stud book for our purebred dogs and to call this strain the American Gordon's setter. Our request was granted and in the future none but a dog with a pure Gordon's setter pedigree can be registered as an American Gordon's setter. The cross-bred dog who depended upon his black and tan color to deceive the public has now to be registered in the cross-bred class. The success of the American Gordon's setter club in this matter has saved one of the best strains of field dogs from utter ruin. So the strain of dogs that was known at the Duke of Gordon's castle as the Gordon's setter and in England as the black and tan setter are now known in America as the American Gordon's setter. The Gordon's setter as seen at Gordon's castle was undoubtedly black and tan and black, white, and tan. Many of the best bred Gordon dogs throw in their litters pups with a toe or two marked with white or with a white frill on same. A litter a few years back without some white was rare. But by careful breeding and by breeding only from those with the least possible white in time we shall see Gordon's without a white hair on them. I never cast aside a puppy that is nicely made even now if he has white on chest although I prefer them without it and hope soon to have litters with no other markings than black and tan. Following is the standard adopted by the American Gordon's setter club and all who wish to advance the increasing popularity of the Gordon are breeding up to it. Value of points head including muzzle and nose 15 eyes, ears, and lips 5 neck 5 shoulders and chest 15 back, loins, thighs, and stifles 15 legs, feet, elbows, socks, 15 stern and flag 8 color and markings 8 texture of coat and feather 6 symmetry and quality 8 total 100 skull The skull should be lighter than the old type of Gordon setters as was usually seen at bench shows must be clean cut with occipit weld defined a decided stop below the eyes and from eye to occipit should be from 5 to 5.5 inches in length muzzle The muzzle must be straight from eyes to end of nose without any inclination to what is termed Roman nose and without coarseness. It should be from corner of eye to end of nose 4 inches in length. Nostrils must be full and wide and nose black in color. Jaws should be exactly even in length. A snipe nose or pig jaw is a decided blemish. Eyes, ears, and lips. Eyes must be of medium size and a deep brown in color. Mild and intellectual in expression. Ears should be set low on head and lie flat to the cheeks without any tendency to prick. Should be longer than in other breeds They must be thin in leather and must be well coated with fine silky hair with as little wave as possible. The hair should extend an inch or two below the leather. The lips should be slightly pendulous, a triple more so than in other breeds of setters. Neck. The neck should be of good length, clean and racy with gradual rise from shoulders to head and slightly inclined to arch. Should be almost free of leather but is not expected to be as clean on underside as a pointer's. Shoulders and chest The shoulders should be deep with moderately sloping blades. Should be strong and positively free of lumber and showing great liberty. The chest must be flat between the forelegs. Moderately deep and narrow giving the animal a racy appearance in front. The ribs must be well sprung behind the shoulders but not sufficient to give the animal the appearance of being too round in barrel and should extend well back toward the hips. Back, loins, thighs and stifles The back should be short and straight with loins strong and slightly arched. Any tendency to sway back being decidedly objectionable. Thighs must be strong with the muscle extending well down toward the hocks. The stifles should be moderately well bent and set somewhat wide apart. They should be long from point of hip to hock joints. Legs, feet, elbows and hocks The forelegs must be straight and sufficiently strong and bone with elbows standing close to the chest but not under it. Hind legs to conform in bone with the forelegs they should be moderately bent. Hocks must be straight. The feet must be round, hard arched and well padded with hair between the toes. The cat foot should have the preference. Stern and flag The stern should be set on slightly below the line of back and carried in a very nearly straight line from the body the straighter the better. A teapot tail is a decided blemish. When carried down with the hand it should not reach below the hock joint. It should taper gradually from the body to a sting-like end. The flag must be fine and straight any inclination to curl or ropeiness being objectionable. It should taper to nothing at the end. Color and markings The color should be a rich glossy plum black with deep sienna or dark mahogany, tan markings clearly defined and without admixture of black though a little penciling of black on the toes is admissible. The tan should show on lips, cheeks throat, spot over eyes underside of each ear on front of chest on feet and legs also at vent but must not extend into flag more than three inches. The tan should show nearly to elbows on inside of four legs and to the hocks or above them on the inside of hind legs. An America Gordon setter with a white frill must not be cast aside but aim to breed them with as little white as possible. A good dog must not be disqualified for having white as above described. Any white on feet or tail is a blemish. Texture of coat and feather The coat should be fine and flat any inclination to curl being objectionable the white wave is admissible. The feather should be about the same in quality as in the English setter running down two feet on four locks and to hocks on hind legs but only slightly feathered below the hocks. Symmetry and quality The American Gordon setter should display much character. The general outline must look the thorough workman all over and must absolutely be without lumber. He should be blood-like in appearance combining great quality with symmetry. The weight of my dogs is from 45 to 50 pounds height at shoulder 20 to 24 and one half inches. My bitches are less in height and less in weight. If you increase the above height or weight you will have a dog that is a labor to himself and forever in your way. The weight given above makes a good sized dog and you can take two of them with you in your light top buggy for a hunt or a run. My advice to all is not to breed them larger than the size above described. You will find them just what you desire in looks. The following pedigree is of the writer's American Gordon setter Whip whose service has been largely sought after. He has been bred to many of our best American Gordon setter bitches as well as two imported bitches. This pedigree will be found a valuable guide in selecting pure blood. It traces to the best and best known field setters that ever lived in Scotland, England and America. And the blood of the dogs mentioned in it is distributed from Maine to California. Whip's descendants are owned by gentlemen who keep them to shoot over and some who have cared to exhibit them at bench shows have won with them. Some in the pedigree have been winners at field trials abroad. The Gordon setter Gordon won second at a field trial in America and was justly entitled to first. Air long when their owners make up their minds to run them in public field trials you will see them go to the front with ease. I never have shown or run one at a public trial but have hunted them in private in the best of company with setters of other strains and have never seen them beaten. Nor do I believe the setter or pointer lives that can work with them in all kinds of cover and over all kinds of ground and defeat them in a long hunt. I keep my dogs for my own shooting for pleasure and to enjoy with them alone or with my personal friends the pleasures of the field in the brilliant autumn time the most brilliant time of all when the gorgeous woods are gleaming air the leaves begin to fall when the maple boughs are crimson and the hickory shines like gold when the noons are sultry hot and the nights are frosty cold when the country has no green but the sword grass by the rill and the willows in the valley and the pipe upon the hill when the pippin leaves the bow and the sumac fruit is red and the quail is piping loud from the buckwheat where he's fed pardon my digression my friends but the mention of autumn stirs the fire that is within me and ever turns my thoughts afield and to the above beautiful lines the pen of that gifted sportsman Frank Forrester I live from year to year to enjoy the pleasures that I find afield in the early years of my life I hunted over the old native English setters and pointers but I will leave that in view of the scarcity of game today that the hard work the dogs of this age have to do to find six or eight cubbies of quail in a day the old time setter would not be of much service to us now but rather to find they scatter when flushed into the thick cover the old time setter had no such work to do as our dogs of this age so I do not hesitate to say that the old time setter is a dog of the past and alongside our keen-nosed, nimble footed Gordon would cut a sorry figure I never have gone afield with a dog that has given me so much genuine satisfaction in every way as do my Gordon's I have hunted them in the best of company for days but have never yet seen any of them stand up to their work for so long a time day in and day out as the Gordon setter neither have I ever seen his equal in nose, obedience staunchness and speed when the nature of the ground will permit it he is one of the fleetest dogs of the setter breed at his work he is naturally a high-headed dog always seeking for the body scent of his game when the weather is such as to require it he is quick to take the foot scent as well his natural instinct is developed in a marked degree and leads him to know where to look for his game without the racing over ground that is characteristic of setters of other strains I have ever found them easily broken and they never forget when once taught what is required of them you can shoot over them the first of the season with as much pleasure as at the end the American Gordon setter has never taken part in public trials except on one or two occasions in America the reason is that they have never been owned by those who cared for yearly field trials or for a test of so short a duration most of those who run dogs at yearly trials own either Llewell and setters or pointers and select judges from those who own the same breeds and Gordon setter owners have been well aware that in running dogs under them they would have a poor show the field trial advocates are preparing to organize yearly trials in which each brace of dog are to be run 8 hours they should have for these trials judges from all the setter strains and pointer men also this would I think with their 8 hour heats bring out more dogs than ever have been seen at any of the 35 minute heat trials in the past keep your dogs well exercised for no dog unless he is will keep in health a dog that is properly exercised will not after your first day's hunt be running to heal but on the contrary will do all the work you may require of him no matter whether for a week or a month my way is to have my dogs follow me in my drives for miles I give them but gentle exercise in the summer not over 6 miles in the round trip and over a route where they can find any of water from the streams after October 1st I run them from 14 to 20 miles every other day this puts them in fine condition to shoot over never have them too fat nor so thin that you can see through them but in that happy medium state so that they look and feel like they could go for months and with a will and Vim of their own I will now take you back to their puppyhood and give you some advice which if you will follow and provided you have the kind of dogs that I have described you will have a dog as handsome as a picture to look upon a devoted companion a dog that can do your work field as long as you care to hunt him or that will follow your wagon and giving him exercise as long as you care to drive always make it a rule in breeding a bitch to have her in wealth when some of our game birds are in season so that you could shoot over her and let her enjoy the power of finding game never breed a bitch no matter how handsome she may be unless she is broken and has shown all the requirements of a first class field dog the same rule applies to a bitch must apply to the dog never under any circumstances breed to a dog or bitch simply because they have won several prizes at bench shows I have known some of the bench show champions to be the vilest duffers a field I am so gun shy that the sight of a gun would make them run for miles to get to a place of hiding this I know to be a fact and it is true of some of the winning Gordon English and Irish setters as well as appointers so be careful in your selection of sire and damn when your bitches in well give her gentle exercise each day up to the day she is due to well feed her on soft food a little raw beef liver each day up to the time she welts after well being give her boiled rump beef soup vegetables and table scraps feed her well when the puppies are about nine or eleven days old their eyes will open when they are four weeks old begin to feed them as it helps to take the strain off the mother and helps them to gain strength you will almost see them grow at this age if there are symptoms of worms as they are likely to be give each puppy half a teaspoon full once a day for three days of fries verma fuge after giving it for three days try them about two weeks later to see if the worms are cleaned out of them and you will be surprised to see healthy looking puppies that you thought had none pass worms in great knots these worms cause the death of over three fourths of all puppies that die I have never lost a young puppy all owing to care and looking well after this worm pest next look well to lice and fleas I use thymocresol called also cold water dip it is a great disinfectant and is not poisonous it cures all skin diseases and I use it in mange with universal success you can get it of your drugist use it in the following manner when practical use soft rain pond or river water dilute to the required strength always pour the water quickly upon the thymocresol and not the thymocresol upon the water in winter protect it from frost and before using shake the can if it does not mix well with cold water mix it with warm water first and then add cold to the required proportion the proportions in which the thymocresol should be diluted with water for various purposes are indicated a large teaspoon full of thymocresol to a pint of water or a pint of the thymocresol to 12 gallons of water makes a strength of about 1 to 100 this quantity will do to wash 6 or 8 puppies then mix a new lot for any more puppies you may wish to wash when you have dipped them in and rubbed it well take them out and dry them in two applications you will find all the lice and fleas have been destroyed when they are 8 weeks old wean them take the bitch to new corners and use the following mixture rubbing it well into her breast iodide potassium 2 drams soap liniment and oil of camphor each 2 ounces examine the bitch's breast each day and draw off all milk with the fingers that you can in a few days she will be in proper shape to work and will be dry up nicely when you have for several weeks fed your puppies on boiled grits or boiled oatmeal and a little cooked meat twice a week and they have learned to eat well and take care of themselves send the brace or braces you may wish to keep to someone you know in the country to raise for you it may cost you a few dollars each month but you will be well repaid in the hearty growth of your puppies wherever you send them have it distinctly understood that you wish them to run loose as your desire is to develop every bone and muscle in them when they are about 10 months old bring them home and after the youngsters have learned to know you and show by their actions they have accustomed themselves to the change and to the whistle teach them to drop and follow well to heal which you will find a great comfort to you when you walk them then take them in your buggy when you drive that they may get accustomed to the motion of the wagon never feed old or young dogs just before you go out to exercise when over their first seasickness as it were make them drop the moment you put them in the buggy and keep them down until you are ready to let them out for a run nothing is more annoying to me when I bundle into a wagon on a shooting trip with a friend than to have him say his dog is never ridden and in a few moments to have him vomit all over the floor or if he has not ridden before and is not broken to drop in the wagon but to be all over it head on the reins and in your lap I prefer to get out and walk hence this advice as to training dogs to ride as soon as your puppies have been well broken to ride and drop in the wagon take one of your old standbys out with you and a brace of puppies let them out on the road for a run of a mile on the first trip you are able to select roads but little travel until your puppies have learned to keep away from passing wagons you must drive slowly being careful that you do not run over them they soon learn to follow well and in a short time you can give them good long and fast spins with the older dogs never run a puppy until you tire in it makes him sluggish your next move is to take him afield with one of your broken dogs to find game or of course you are anxious to fully determine whether his nose is as fine as you have thought from your early observations in watching him find his food when thrown in the tall grass and the several little things you have seen him do such as when running on the road to suddenly stop and turn and hunt out a bone or send a barnyard hen all these little things are indicative of a good nose and to fully satisfy yourself before making any further move in his education is the reason you wish to see him on game I have put down many a puppy on game that at once began to range and with tail action of the very best style find and point I love a lively tail action and the best field dogs I ever saw all had it after your old dog has found game call your puppy to you with a whistle he is not then on point with the old dog he may go in and flush but let him alone remember you are not out to break him only to test his nose when the birds are scattered and the old dog stands you will probably see him swing into his first point at a distance from his game that will convince you he is the dog you wish to break if however you go out once or twice before your youngster gives you any indication of nose do not be discouraged you may see it later after dozens or more trials under favorable circumstances I should get rid of him it is seldom in the Gordon family that you see a well bred, well raised puppy but what will stand his game on the first day's trial and most of them show excellent noses at a very early age I knew a Llewellyn setter imported by a personal friend of mine in this city, direct from Mr. Llewellyn that was placed in the hands of one of the most successful field trial handlers in Tennessee he worked his hardest to develop the dog which was then about fifteen months old but returned him as being no good when this dog was over two years old he turned out quite a fine worker he was one of the late developing kind I have never seen this in any Gordon setters while you had your puppy out of course you shot over him to see that he was not gun shy while on this subject I will state all the dogs I have raised to shoot over in my life I have never yet had one proof gun shy my success has been owing to my never breeding to anything but well broken dogs and in not breeding to an unbroken bench show dog simply because he won prizes was handsome and had a fashionable pedigree nor have I ever permitted my bitch to welp under a barn and I not see her litter until they were running around your puppies are welped you should have access to them and accustom them to your presents as soon as they can see to all noises you can make in their hearing take them out with you as soon as large enough to follow and fire several charges from your gun while they are romping about you after each time you fire call them to you fondle and romp with them and you will soon see when you show the youngsters the gun how delighted they will be to join you in your tramps and also how pleased they are to smell powder as regards breaking my method is the same as most all sportsmen use and I will not enter into it for fear of tiring my readers I will simply say if you wish to break your own dog by modern training handling and cattle management by bee waters my advice to young sportsmen is to get a first class trainer to break their dogs if they can afford it and when he is nearly finished request a trainer to give them a week's instruction on how to work with the dogs after they are broken the Gordon setter I have always found to be one of the hardiest and if well housed and fed they seldom require medicine I hardly know what this temper is with them for I've not had a puppy or grown dog afflicted with it for over 12 years and then it was contracted by coming in contact with a road dog while exercising my bitch June lived until she was 13 and one half years old Malcolm died at 11 and one half from inflammation in the bowels caused by swallowing a bone a few months before he died I hunted him for several days and his nose was fine and his speed and endurance were just as good as when he was five years old the Gordon setter is game in all his work he's willing to face the stoutest briars or retrieve his game even if he has to go through a skim many a bird have they brought me that fell on the opposite side of a stout stream in midwinter and they did it with as much determination as they showed in retrieving woodcock in summer when starting out for a two week trip take with you about 75 pounds of cornmeal and 20 pounds of beef flour this will be all you require to feed a brace or two on during your stay take of the cornmeal 5 pounds and a teacup of beef flour mix well before you wet the meal then wet and mix and have baked nicely in bread pans feed it cold in the morning feed lightly but on your return before you let them go to rest feed them strongly if you do not feed before they are kennel they will not eat well for the reason that when once put away they prefer rest to food if you can in the section where you are shooting secure some raw fresh beef or mutton give them a good feed twice a week rest assured if your dogs are well fed they will do twice the work for you that could possibly be gotten out of them if half starved at the same time do not overfeed never feed them on salt meat while on your shooting trips for if you do you will have them filling themselves to overflowing with water then this will spoil your days shooting when on your trip to ride your shooting grounds see that the wagon floor is well covered with dry hay or straw put your dogs in both going and returning thus saving them all you can and see how they will tuck themselves away in the straw on your way home when you arrive home and feed them take them at once to your room spread your dog blanket which I presume you have taken with you before the fire let them dry well or thaw out as weather may require take it calm and get off all the burrs especially under the shoulders and look the toes over to see that no burrs or dried or frozen mutter left there I prefer to always keep my dogs in my room at night and will not stop at any house where I cannot do so unless it be at a friend's home by following the above instructions you will find your dog as fresh as you would wish them the next morning they will be with you until a good old age and no rheumatism will you see in them at any time if you wish your dogs to always look well in coat wash them well all over with Sprats dog soap rubbing it well in with a stiff root brush such as is used for brushing a horse's mane this makes a lather and will kill every flea on them commence this washing in May and have it done every three weeks until about October 15 then you are rid of fleas on them all winter when you have finished soaping them and about 10 minutes give them a swim or rinse to get the lather off their coats will then look as sleek as though you had oiled them during the winter once or twice a week have them brush well from head to heel with the same kind of root brush mentioned above give the exercise as directed and you will see dogs in coat muscle and health that will please the most fastidious sportsman and fancier if these instructions are carried out to the letter you can dispense with your medicine case if you cannot keep feed and give your dogs your personal attention you had better not keep any never forget to permit your dogs to have free access to grass they use it for any ills they may have in regard to preparing your dog for a bench show each exhibitor has his own way I am aware that much is done in the way of doctoring coat etc but if many exhibitors would have more attention to exercise and developing of the muscle you would not see so many fat flabby undeveloped dogs in bone or muscle of all breeds of field dogs at shows I like to see them enter a ring before me in perfect race horse order as hard in muscle as is possible to get them not looking like they were too weak to stand or so fat that one would suppose they were for the butcher I will here describe a hunt that was created in one September about nine years ago with several friends I left Baltimore, Maryland my home and birthplace about the 28th of August we started for the prairies of Iowa 500 miles west of Chicago on the Chicago and northwestern railway for three weeks absence which gave us about 12 days shooting we took our tent and a full camping outfit in the way of dogs we had setters, one black pointer and one lemon and white pointer I had my brace of gortons Malcolm and June we were on the road three days and nights and arrived at our destination at 3 a.m. my friends all retired for a few hours rest but I remained up and made arrangements with a livery man to be at the hotel at peep of day when he arrived myself and two dogs boarded and were soon tucked into the straw wagon, my friends preferring to breakfast and follow later in an hour we reached a nice looking stubble field I ordered a halt and a lighted the dogs following suit they were ordered on June had been on chickens before but Malcolm had not in about 10 minutes I saw them both make game and in a moment draw on and make a fine point I flushed and killed a brace and in a little over an hour had 10 chickens all killed over points to these two dogs and they had not made an error it is needless to say that after such a journey and such a performance I was justly proud of my pets this has been my experience with my gortons every year on woodcock, snipe, quail or roughed grouse I have found them always reliable staunch and obedient I have hunted them in several states over hill and dale through briar patches and in dense forest in fact, wherever the birds would seek refuge and never yet have I seen them flurried and leased they are an appearance and in nature the gentleman's dog both to shoot over and as a companion at his home they are of the most affectionate disposition to home folks but are watchful when a stranger is about on one occasion in Caroline County, Virginia in 1878 I had arrived home and dressed after a hard day's tramp in the month of December my room had an open wood fire my dogs were spread out in front of it I closed my door and went down to supper a gentleman from Richmond who was stopping at the same house for a few days knowing me went into my room to warm up inside and out the dogs let him in but when he started to go out he was halted by them and not until he had called me from the supper table did he get out of the house he most certainly would have had to await my return I have seen my bitch Gypsy on several occasions while I have had my birds and traps on the station platform awaiting the train jump into and clean up a passing dog for attempting to nose my game I always place my game in the baggage car under the care of my dogs on the floor and you can rest assured none will be appropriated by the baggage smasher Gordon's make the best yard dogs and why people will keep occur when they can have one of these beautiful and faithful animals is beyond my comprehension in the Gordon Center one may have a dog to guard his family a playmate for his children and a dog that will help to keep the larder full I hope all who may read these lines will find something in them that will be of service and assist them in securing a perfect American Gordon Center I hope that many a time air this they have felt that thrill from a head to heel when they be held that brace of Gordon Setters on that beautiful point on Yonder Hill or have sat on that moss covered log beside that gurgling brook and caress them fondly for that masterpiece of work in having retrieved so well that crippled bird and without the rumple of a feather that is the cream of existence to the true sportsman I hope you are all lovers of the charms of Woodland scenery for no man could be a true sportsman who is in love with all nature in her rural paradise I hope you have enjoyed the sportsman's sleep if you have not seen and enjoyed these pleasures I am sorry for you for you do not yet know what pleasure is the man who has troubled with insomnia will if you take to the field find health and sleep End of Section 4 Recording by Jill Ingle Section 5 of the American Book of the Dog this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org read by Michelle Fry Baton Rouge, Louisiana The American Book of the Dog Geo Shields Editor Section 5 The Pointer Part 1 by Charles K. Westbrook AM Storyography The exact origin of this beautiful and useful branch of the canine family as well as that of many other varieties cannot be definitely stated The great naturalist Buffon was of the opinion that all the different species of dogs derived their origin from the shepherd's dog and while it is perhaps inappropriate to discuss this question here it may be remarked en passant that such an assumption may possibly be the correct one it would appear quite natural that in those early pastoral days that marked the dawning era of civilization and human development as the shepherd reclined along the borders of the forests which like a mighty framework enclose the feeding grounds of his flock some specimens of the wild dog should find their way to his side and by kind treatment and gradual domestication become subordinated to his purposes gradually under the influences operating upon the animal through domestication climate variety of food and other effective causes his form habits and inherited instincts may have become changed and by an occasional cross with another branch of the family similarly produced it is possible to conceive that the theory of Buffon may be approximately correct the well-known susceptibility of the dog to variations in breeding is also a confirmation of the theory and it is easy to account for the changes in his instincts as now manifested on the theory that these have become fixed and confirmed in each variety by the uses to which they have been severally devoted however this may be the history of the world from the very earliest period informs us of the existence of the dog as a companion and associate of man on ancient Egyptian monuments is often seen the figure of an animal very much resembling the pointer of today and other ancient works of art both of sculpture and painting as well as family records justify the belief that the dog in a domesticated state was contemporaneous with the very dawn of civilization itself regarding the origin of the pointer much conjecture has been indulged in by various writers on the dog no two of the early authors seem to agree entirely as to the precise period when the pointer came into existence as such with all his wonderful instincts and capabilities fully developed we must probably seek for that period in those misty ages of tradition and uncertainty that mark the origin of our common law and which Blackstone designates as the time where of the memory of man runneth not to the contrary the earliest printed work in the English language describing the various breeds of dogs was a book of field sports written by Dame Juliana Burners prior us of Sopwell nunnery in Hurtfordshire about the end of the 14th century in this work the lady says quote they's been the names of hounds first there is a grey hound a bastard, a mangrove a mastiff, a lemur a spaniel, rashes canetes, terriers butchers hounds dung hill dogs tendeaux tallies and prikey yard curries and small ladies puppies that bear away to flees the next work in point of antiquity referring to the same subject was by Dr. John Kias physician to Queen Elizabeth published in Latin in 1576 and subsequently translated into English the classification of dogs in this treatise was into three varieties vis, one a gentle kind serving the game two a homely kind apt for sundry necessary uses three a courage kind meet for many toys the first of these classes is divided by Dr. Kias into two parts vis vanitichi used for hunting wild beasts and acupatory which were employed in the pursuit of fowl the vanitichi were further subdivided into eight varieties namely levararius or harriers terrarious or terriers sanguinarius or bloodhounds agaceus or gashounds leparaceus or greyhounds lararius or lemur vertigus or tumbler and canis furax or stealer the dogs used for fowling or acupatory were divided into two classes vis index or setter and aquaticus or spaniel probably drawing a distinction between the land and water spaniel in these ancient treatises we find no mention made of the pointer by name and for that reason many writers have assumed that he has no distinct existence at that time but this assumption is not necessarily a correct one for the pointer may have existed in Spain or England under another name even before that period as a species of hound, lemur lurcher or even a short head spaniel in this case the name pointer which was used by the Swedish naturalist lineus 1707-1778 in his classification of animals canis aficularis does not necessarily carry with it a lack of early origin the names of dogs were used interchangeably in early days the nomenclature was far from uniform and fixed and the writer is by no means certain that the word spaniel might not at that time have included the dog subsequently known as the pointer as well as that outward called the setter this view finds further confirmation by reference to a work known as the gentleman's recreation published by Nicholas Cox in 1697 in which that author writes of the setter as follows quote the dog which you elect for setting must have a perfect and good scent and be naturally addicted to the hunting of feathers may be either land spaniel water spaniel or mongrel of them both either the shallow flued hound, tumbler, lurcher or small bastard mastiff end quote by this it will be seen that the status of the setter itself was not clearly established as late as the year 1700 several of the dogs named above being likewise short haired like the pointer of today a very ingenious argument has been adduced by certain writers tending to prove that the modern pointer is a descendant of the dog known in English literature as the Brock which is supposed to have been introduced into England during the Norman invasion in the 11th century and such may possibly be the case but the fact has never been sufficiently verified the Brock is one of the varieties of pointing dogs used in France and was formerly known under the name with varied orthography in Spain, Portugal, Italy and Germany our American luxographers define Brock as a bitch of the hound kind and give Shakespeare 1564 through 1616 as their authority Warchester also gives the definition of a pointer or setting dog and also uses Shakespeare as authority for that Richardson in his dictionary defines Brock to mean a kind of short-tailed setting dog ordinarily spotted or party colored it must also be born in mind that the word hound which is given as one of the earliest varieties of dogs signifies simply a dog in Anglo-Saxon or old English and also in German so that one of the varieties of hounds existing so early in England may have been the Brock or pointing bird dog and it is just possible that the Spanish pointer or Brocko may have been crossed with the English varieties of the Brock family to produce certain strains of the modern pointer Aldrovandus a celebrated Italian naturalist of the 16th century gives the colors of the Brock as black, white and fulvis or brownish-yellow the color is similar to that of the spotted lynx being most sought after as appears in the Dalmatian pointer or coach dog and so often in popular strains of the modern pointer a French encyclopedia also gives the following definition of the Brock the Brock or pointing dog is ordinarily of a white color ticked with liver or black his ears are long and pendant and his muzzle somewhat large and long end quote Sir Walter Scott 1771 through 1832 in several of his works makes reference to the Brock in his description of hunting scenes so that in view of all the facts it is not beyond the realm of reasonable conjecture that a short haired pointing dog closely resembling the modern pointer in form and color existed in England prior to the advent of the Spanish pointer and may have been utilized in the breeding development of our present varieties of the pointer family in this connection it may prove interesting to the reader to consider the question of the comparative antiquity of the setter and the pointer in touching upon this subject it must be remarked that much discussion has taken place among sportsmen regarding the question of origin and antiquity of these two valuable breeds some writers have firmly maintained that the setter is clearly indebted to the pointer for his existence as such while others have with equal force of logic and skill of rhetoric maintained the exact opposite to be the case these discussions have usually been carried on by the respective friends of each breed often time with considerable virulence the writer being a firm friend of both these noble varieties of dogs will endeavor to present the question in as clear and impartial a manner as possible all recognized authorities on the dog unite in ascribing an early existence to that one known as the spaniel they also agree in the opinion that the name was conferred upon this variety because it originated in Spain from whence it was brought into Great Britain the exact date of the importation of the spaniel is not known nor do we know what his appearance and character were at the time he may have been a short-haired dog when first introduced into England and the climate may have subsequently induced the growth of his protective coat or he may have originally been a long-haired dog Dr. Kass classified them into land and water spaniels and says of them whether used for the hawk the net, the falcon, pheasant or partridge quote the common sort of people call them by one general word namely spaniels so these kind of dogs came originally and first of all out of Spain end quote however that may be there is little question that the spaniel is one of the immediate ancestors of the dog now known as the setter this name was early given to him because he had been trained to crawl cautiously upon the birds and when he had gotten near enough to locate them to set or crouch, permitting his owner to draw a net over him to the birds as well this was done as early as 1576 when Dr. John Keynes wrote and is clearly described in his book to which reference has previously been made Gervais Markham the author of hunger's prevention or the art of fouling which was published in 1655 under the heading what a setting dog is says quote you shall then understand that a setting dog is a certain very land spaniel taught by nature to hunt the partages before and more than any other class whatsoever when he has come even to the very place where his prey is and hath as it were his nose over it so that it seems he may take it up at his own pleasure yet is his temperance and obedience so made and framed by art that presently even on a sudden he either stands still or falls down flat upon his belly to open his mouth or make any noise or motion at all till that his master come under him and then proceeds in all things according to his directions and commandments in further confirmation of the fact that the original setter was a spaniel Mr. Daniel in his rural sports has preserved a document dated in the year 1685 in which one John Harris agrees for the consideration of 10 shillings to quote well and sufficiently maintain and keep a spaniel bitch named quand and fully and effectually train up and teach the said bitch to sit partages pheasants and other game as well and exactly as the best sitting dogs usually set the same end quote the first recorded importation of a Spanish pointer who is fully described in the subsequent chapter into Great Britain was about the year 1600 at that time the setting dog as we have seen might have belonged to several different breeds shooting with firearms came into common practice among the gentry about the same period and seemed to call the pointer into use as a dog who would indicate the place where the birds lay while standing erect instead of crouching as the setting dog did for a long time therefore the pointing dog was the fashion among sportsmen and the setting dog fell into disuse after a while however sportsmen began to use the setting spaniel to shoot over not withstanding his sudden drop in point made it difficult to see him in cover turnips wheat standing clover furs or laying a little later still we find the center dog standing up to his work like the pointer by what process this result was accomplished whether by the gradual education and development of the setting spaniel or by a pointer cross is a question that has never yet been finally settled doubtless there may have been early strains of setters that were kept comparatively free from alien blood in the gradual process of development from the setting spaniel on the other hand there is most excellent authority for believing that many strains were greatly aided and improved by the introduction of pointer blood on this point it will be well probably to quote a few authorities as many lovers of the setter strenuously adhere to the belief that the dog is purely an original one with no pointer or other alien blood in his veins the author of the sportsman's cabinet published in 1803 makes the following broad assertion quote the dog passing under this denomination setter is a species of pointer originally produced by a comixure between Spanish pointer and the larger breed of English spaniel end quote Mr. William Lort one of the prominent breeders of the setter in England and a man of recognized authority on the question under investigation has written as follows quote as to the origin of the setter I am not so sure of the correctness of my old and valued friend when he says there is no doubt whatever that a true setter is a pure strain of unmixed spaniel blood the only improvement produced in the breed arising from its judicious cultivation etc I am quite sure that years ago say from 40 to 50 it was no uncommon thing to get a dip of pointer blood into the best kennels of setters sometimes it answered well and though for a generation or two the coat not always though at the cost of appearance it find and strengthen the stern giving life and motion to it and what whether rightly or wrongly in early times was thought as a good deal of it rounded the foot I know how shocked some of our modern breeders will be at the idea of their favorites having in their veins a drop of pointer blood it is well perhaps that it is not generally known how many objectionable strains have been viciated with much more objectionable blood than that of the pointer I have seen droppers yes and dogs bred from droppers possessing exquisite powers of scent lovely tempers and great pace I think there is reason to believe the spaniel to be the foundation of our present setter as a case showing that it is possible for crossbred dogs to breed true I know of a black setter bitch three crosses from pointer belonging to Robert Warner of Lester Abbey she was good herself having all the qualities of a pure setter and curiously enough she bred well from either a setter or a pointer Mr. Warner gave his keeper who afterward came into my service a brace of black puppies by a pointer of this bitch they looked all over pointers they worked like pointers they were excellent pointers and were sold when broken at 40 a good price in those days I myself had setters from her and they were good setters and showed all setter characteristics end quote the above explicit statement was made in a letter to Mr. Vero Shaw and the letter in his valuable work the book of the dog adds quote a strong confirmation of Mr. Lort's theory is to be found in the subjoined engravings from a painting by the famous French artist Alexander Francois de Porte this great animal painter born in 1661 and died in 1743 was elected a member of the French Royal Academy of Painting in 1699 and of its council in 1704 for many years he occupied the court position of historiographer of the chase created expressly for him by Louis the 14th and his pictures which are very numerous can hardly be surpassed for their fidelity to nature the engraving we reproduce from his pencil is entitled dogs and partridges and is valuable as distinctly showing that the pointer had been crossed with the spaniel before and during his time and that the result was a dog very like our modern setter end quote Mr. Shaw on another page of his work also places the seal of his endorsement on the well-known writer Blaine in regard to the conversion of the ancient spaniel into the modern setter Mr. Blaine's suggestion is that a cross with one of the cellaries or swift-footed dogs was resorted to and that the pointer is probably a cross between the spaniel and one or other of the pugnaces Mr. Yonat in his valuable work on the dog also says it was long the fashion to cross and mix them setters with the pointer as further evidence that alien blood may have been used in establishing some strains of setters the following quotation from one of the works of Mr. Tallfrey author of the sportsman in France the sportsman in Ireland and Scotland and the sportsman in Canada is given it being his recipe for making a strain of setters quote the preliminary step is to put a fine breed and unexceptional pointer bitch to crosshound you will then have laid the foundation of three essential qualities speed nose and courage docility and sagacity are also requisites and to obtain them across the offspring with the small and slender race of Newfoundland dog the produce will be as near perfection as possible they will take to the water retrieve and for general shooting will be found the very best and most useful animal the sportsman can and quote the writer does not believe that many breeders were induced to follow the absurd process recommended by Mr. Tallfrey but simply presents that gentleman's view as showing the tendency of the time to cross and recross in order to bring the setter up to a certain standard in the light of all this authentic history it is difficult to arrive at any other conclusion than that the modern setter and pointer are both results of vicious selection breeding and crossing the pointer as will be seen later bearing the same relation to the old Spanish pointer here and after described as the setter does to the original setting spaniel without doubt other dashes of alien blood have been infused into certain strains of each variety and certain strains may be stronger in spaniel and spaniel blood than others but the fact remains the same that both of these valuable variations of dogs have been built up by scientific crossing this being the case it is neither necessary nor important to inquire into the antiquity of the respective ancestors of each neither can with certainty be accorded precedence in point of age the present dog of either variety breeds true to type reproduces himself in form color qualities and intellectual traits and is nonetheless valuable in the opinion of the writer because certain judicious drafts have been made on other families of dogs to improve his natural qualities and the better to adapt him to the uses for which he is intended owing to the constant experimentation in the breeding of arcane on friends for hundreds of years and even at the present time it would seem absurd to the thinking intelligent reader to claim any breed of dogs as the only great and original creation education climate food infusion of new blood domestication which corresponds to civilization in man have done as much for the canine as they have for the human family and it is perhaps well for the whole race of dogs that outside blood has at times been sought for and obtained and the deteriorating effects of too close in breeding thereby happily averted Mr. Laverac has himself confessed that at one time he lost many of his dogs by too continuously breeding in his strain and he not only admits that he once infused a valuable dash of liver and white blood from the north of England into his kennels but that he made two separate visits to Ireland for the purpose of looking up a suitable Irish dog to use for a similar purpose the old Spanish pointer not withstanding the uncertainty that exists regarding the time when the Spanish pointer was first introduced into England there seems to be a general consensus of opinion that the year 1600 is about the period that marks his advent under that name the dog known as the old Spanish pointer was the representative of the type at that time and has been described by Saddenham Edwards in Sinographia Britannica 1805 as follows quote the Spanish pointer is a heavy loose made dog about 22 inches high bearing no small resemblance to the slow southern hound had large indented between the eyes lips large and pendulous ears thin loose and hanging down of a moderate length coat short and smooth color dark brown or liver color liver color and white red and white black black and white sometimes tanned about the face and eyes circled with small spots on a white ground the tail thin smooth and wiry frequently do claws upon the hind legs the hind feet often turning a little outward the Spanish pointer was introduced into this country by a Portuguese merchant at a very modern period and was first used by an old reduced Baron of the name of Bichel who lived in Norfolk who could shoot flying indeed he seems to have lived by his gun as the game he killed was sold in the London market this valuable acquisition from the continent was wholly unknown to our ancestors together with the art of shooting flying but so fond are we become of this most elegant of field sports that we now excel all others in the use of the gun and in the breeding and training of the dog the Spanish pointer possesses in a high degree the sense of sending so that he very rarely or never goes by his game when in pursuit requires very little training to make him staunch most of them standing the first time they meet with gang it is no uncommon occurrence for puppies of three months old to stand at poultry rabbits or even cats but as they grow old they are apt to get idle and often go over their ground on a trot instead of galloping and from their loose make and slowness of foot when hunted a few seasons soon tire have recourse to cunning and in company let the younger and fleeter dogs beat wide the fields while they do little more than back them or else make false points. They then become useless but for hunting a singly with a sportsman who is not able or not inclined to follow the faster dogs. There are other varieties of the pointer as the Russian in size and form like the Spanish coat not unlike a drover's dog rough and shaggy rough about the eyes and bearded color like the Spanish but often grizzle and white they differ in coat some being more rough than others this is probably a cross between the Spanish pointer and the Barbette or rough water dog he has an excellent nose is sagacious, tractable and easily made staunch endures fatigue tolerably well takes water readily and is not incommodated by the most cold and wet weather end quote this description of the Spanish pointer by an early authority may be added that of Mr. Taplan at the opening of the present century every fact upon record respecting their appearance in England is that they were at very early ages introduced from Spain and that they were natives of that country from which their name was derived the pointer of this description is short in the head broad in the forehead, wide in the nose, expensive in the nostrils simply solicitous in aspect heavy in the shoulders short in the legs almost circular in the form of the carcass square upon the back strong across the loins and remarkably so in the hind quarters although this breed like the English pointer by the many collateral aids so much improved are produced of various colors yet the bold brown liver and white are the most predominant the pointer we are now treating of though exceedingly slow must be generally admitted to be sure in the fatigable and minute in his research is he is rarely seen to miss his game when game is to be found when a covey of birds is separated by repeated shots and are afterward found singly the pointer under description has opportunity to display his best ability in most industriously recovering these scattered birds the major part of which if accompanied by a good shot are generally picked up to a certainty to the recovery of winged birds the patient perseverance of this dog is peculiarly adapted and for the sport of snipe shooting alone they are entitled to the preference of every other end quote the Russian branch of this family of dogs is said to strongly resemble the later Russian center and many good authorities consider them almost identical it is not appropriate here to enter into any extended description of the Russian center further than to say that he is considered a very superior dog on game and that several dashes of his blood have been infused with benefit into some strains of our modern centers the German pointer is a heavy set large boned dog with prominent flues and considerable throatiness the liver or liver and white in color though not always he is believed to be particularly strong in the blood of the Spanish pointer and his slow but sure methods of hunting confirm the belief he is extensively used in Germany and as an all around game dog has few superiors there are two varieties of this useful dog the smooth coated and the rough coated the latter probably being akin to the Russian pointer above referred to with reference to these dogs we quote the following letter recently published in the American field and written by a prominent German sportsman quote our dogs must have a different training from the dog used by sportsmen in England or America we cannot successfully hunt here with the pointer or center we need dogs get brush on adapted to all purposes a sort of an all round dog who especially applies to the government forester who is compelled to be out in the forest every day in the year and whose dog must not only be insensible in a high degree to all temperatures but must also in case of need render assistance to his master against game sneakers who frequently are a dangerous class of men and often make a murderous attack on the officer when he interferes with their unlawful pursuits English pointers and setters acknowledge champion bird dogs but very few of them can be trained to retrieve a hair or a fox at a great distance or to bring a duck out of the cold water and through thick weeds or to follow the trail of a wounded stag or a roebuck yet a hunting dog in this country must combine all these qualities he is expected to have a good nose to search the field all day in the hot month of August for partridges and make a firm stand when he finds them he must work in water for ducks in warm or cold weather he must follow a wounded hair or fox when brought on the trail for miles and retrieve the game the same distance he must never hesitate to attack and kill a wounded fox otter martin etc must pull down a wounded roebuck or if he finds the roebuck or stag dead commence to bark and continue to do so until his master is at his side if he follows his master stalking he must never advance a foot ahead of him must drop when winked to do so and remain down until commanded to come even if his master remains away for hours and meanwhile has repeatedly fired at game we have several breeds of dogs the german pointer german setter and the rough coated german pointer which if properly trained will acquire the perfection question of late the rough coated pointer one of which retis number three two oh one german dog register is one of the most favorite sporting dogs in this country I hear with fernish shoe and illustration retis is owned by corthals stands 26 inches at the shoulder and his bluish gray mixed with brown the structure of his body resembles closely the german pointer his coat of hair resembles that of a griffon he is the connecting link between these two breeds of dogs and may have originated from one or the other or perhaps may be considered a crossbreed of the two the rough coated pointer is not equaled by any dog in endurance and his insensibility to changes of temperature his nose is almost as good as that of the finest english pointer and his retrieving qualities his courage are simply marvelous frequently one of these dogs went on the trail of a slightly wounded fox will follow reynard for miles kill him and return with him to his master he will battle with a wounded otter in the water and either go down with the ladder or bring it on land he will bay a wounded stag and pull him down if he gets the favorable opportunity he will quietly with no sign of discomfort lie down in front of or at the side of his master in snow and await developments we have two celebrated kennels of rough coated pointers in this country the core thaws and the bontent the most popular color of the rough coated pointer is a bluish gray or faint brown light colors are at a discount since the white dog in this country is too good an object to notice for the larger game and the weeds in the open field are never too high for the gunner to keep his dog constantly white I also enclose a portrait of one of the finest and best short-haired German pointers and the favorite dog of the German emperor Walden is of the purest blood with a good pedigree is brown in color and was helped July 26 1884 his nose is claimed to be equal to that of the best of English thoroughbreds his figure is almost faultless and his qualities first class he like most German pointers is less nervous and restless than the English pointers he is not a one-sided field trial dog but a dog for all purposes a gepper schand Walden received his training from one of the best German dog trainers and is exercised continuously in the field or forest and thus is in a uniform good hunting condition when the partridge season opens and the emperor enters the field near to enjoy the sport of partridge shooting Walden is always present and the emperor follows with delight the fine work of this dog Walden has won twice the first and once the second prize at the German field trials he has been painted in oil by spiraling the celebrated German artist eminent for animal painting of whose skill the accompanying illustration is only a faint sample the English pointer following close upon the Spanish pointer appeared the English pointer which is generally acknowledged to be the result of a cross either of the Spanish pointer and the southern hound or Brock or of the former and the foxhound the burden of authority seems to favor the latter hypothesis as field sports gradually became popular and the art of shooting on the wing more generally known game became somewhat scarcer and more wary and the old Spanish pointer with his slow methodical ways and pottering style came into disfavor more dash speed and range were required even at the sacrifice of a certain degree of stability and staunchness and sportsman began to look around for an infusion of blood that would add the desirable qualities with the least sacrifice of the old and valued traits of character Sidon Ham Edwards speaking of the improved pointer in 1900 thus writes quote the sportsman has improved the breed by selecting the lightest and gayest individuals and by judicious crosses with the foxhound to procure courage and fleetness from the great attention thus paid has resulted the present elegant dog of value and extensive properties differing much from the original parent but with some diminution of his instinctive powers he may thus be described light, strong, well formed and very active about 22 inches high head small and straight lips and ears small, short and thin coat short and smooth commonly spotted or flecked upon a white ground sometimes wholly white, tail thin and wiry except when crossed with the setter or foxhound then a little brushed this dog possesses great gaiety and courage travels in a manner, quarters his group with rapidity and sense with acuteness gallops with his haunches rather under him, his head and tail up of strength to endure any fatigue and an invincible spirit but with these qualifications he has concomitant disadvantages his high spirit and eagerness for the sport render him intractable and extremely difficult of education his impatience in company subjects him to a desire to be foremost and not give time for the sportsman to come up to run in upon his game particularly downwind but if these faults can be overcome in training if he can be made staunch in standing drawing and backing and to stop at the voice or token of the hand he is highly esteemed and those who arrive at such perfection in this country bring amazing prices the most judicious cross appears to have been with the foxhound and by this has been acquired speed and courage power and perseverance and it's disadvantage difficulty of training them to be staunch I believe the celebrated colonel Thornton first made this cross and from his producing excellent dogs it has been very generally followed the foregoing description of the origin of the modern English pointer is confirmed by other early writers and is generally believed to be accurate among the early products of this cross where many dogs possessed of double noses the deep fissure in the center of the nose completely dividing the nostrils but the superstition that such animals were possessed of keener senting powers than others has long since passed away and such a manifestation is now considered a great defect that a cross between the Spanish pointer and the foxhound was made in France as early as the year 1700 is explicitly proven by another painting by Desportes also published in Vero Shaw's book and made about that period wherein are shown two dogs clearly illustrating the cross of the pointer with the hound besides the foxhound other families of dogs are said to have been drawn upon by early breeders to introduce certain qualities that were esteemed desirable for the purpose of obtaining more speed and lightness of movement the greyhound cross is said to have been resorted to by some breeders although it is difficult to conceive how a dog that hunts by sight instead of sent could greatly improve the breed the bulldog cross is also said to have been employed to give stamina and courage to the product of the greyhound cross but neither of them are believed to have been followed up to any great extent the cross with the foxhound was probably the most effectual and beneficial in and such may be considered to have been the foundation of our modern strains of pointers the development of the English pointer when the improved pointer first began to be the fashion in England among sportsmen the Duke of Kingston had the reputation of possessing one of the finest strains and after his death his dogs were sold for what were considered enormous prices in those days subsequently the breed deteriorated somewhat because of a too rash use of greyhound blood to secure speed and gasly looking dogs bore the name of pointers possessing but few of the natural qualities of that noble dog and being defective in pluck vigor and constitution in the early part of the present century Mr. Mattingly in the north of England and Mr. Webb Edge as late as 1845 did a great deal for the proper development of the breed Mr. Maynell and Mr. Osbaldiston together with Lord Derby Lord Litchfield, Lord Sefton Lord Stamford, Sir E. Antrobus, Mr. Whitehouse Mr. Cumberbush, Mr. Derbyshire, Lord Kennedy Sir R. Sutton, Sir R. Musgrave, Mr. Green R. J. Lord Price Lord Burwick and Mr. Pilkington, Garth, Brockton and Briarley were also among those to whom the modern lovers of the pointer owe the deepest obligations for their intelligent and judicious efforts in his behalf. Upon this point the Reverend Thomas Pierce under the pseudonym of Idstone has published one of the most lucid comprehensive and valuable of our smaller works on the dog remarks as follows quote As soon as dog shows became general several eminent dogs came to the front. The first celebrity being Mr. Newton's Ranger a grand liver and white dog of the edge kennel stamp and color. When the first trial of dogs in the field took place Ranger had lost his pace and the chief distinctions were gained by Mr. Rockton's bounce liver and white for large dogs and by Mr. Garth Gill and Mr. Whitehouse's orange and white hamlet for dogs of less size. For dogs which acquitted themselves well were Mr. Swan's Peter a white dog of exquisite form with liver head and liver and white ears and Mr. Peter Jones's Bragg. Hamlet subsequently gained great and deserved popularity by winning the ball of sweepstakes of 25 guineas each against any dog that could be brought against him although from a mistake of the judge in counting his marks much unpleasantness ensued by the winner being the Marquise of Huntley's Young Kent according to the rules laid down. This celebrated dog Hamlet has been one of the most successful dogs of the day numbers of his offspring combining first class form with excellent stamina and nose. Mr. Whitehouse's wrap a dog of the same color excels the old dog in general outline though in style of working Hamlet never will be surpassed. This orange and whites are closely connected with Mr. Lange's breed Bob the father of Hamlet having been the property of Mr. Gilbert who had the mother from Mr. Lange the following are the best specimens which have been exhibited of late years Bounce the property of Mr. W. R. Brockton Farndon near Newark Peter Mr. S. Swan of Lincoln Don the property of Mr. Darby Shire Pandifarin Conway Silk the property of R. Garth Esquire QC Wimbledon Hamlet wrap and Nina the property of Mr. Whitehouse Ipsley Court Warwickshire Sancho and Chang Mr. Francis of Exeter Mr. Richard Hemmington's flake and Mr. Lloyd Price of Bala possesses Lady Alice the general and many more while Mr. Antrobus Mr. Cumberbock near of Ternstall Mr. Hallford and many others are celebrated for their breed of pointers for many years Devonshire has been the great home of the pointer in England Mr. Francis of Exeter and Mr. Sam Price of Devon being especially successful in producing some fine representatives of the breed one of the best dogs bred by the latter gentlemen afterwards owned by R. J. Lloyd Price was champion wag by champion Sancho out of Sappho who helped in March 1871 he was liver and white in color weighed 65 pounds and made a great record both at the field trials and on the bench many of our best American dogs were also bred by Mr. Price and deservedly assumed a high place in this country another great dog in England was Sir R. Garth's Drake who was purchased after the death of that gentleman for 150 guineas and died April 22nd 1877 he was by rap out of Dahl rap by Mr. Cumberbock's Don and Lord Litchfield's Jilt and Dahl by Mr. Newton's champion Ranger and might representing Lord Derby's kennels Drake was a fine upstanding liver and white dog two feet and one inch at the shoulder three feet from nose to root of tail and weighing about 65 pounds his winnings on the bench and especially at the field trials have seldom if ever been equalled and his record as a producer of winners stands almost unrivaled he was the sire of Dandy Drake Beau Mallard Rump, Lucky Sixpence Gypsy, Yellow Drake Luck of Edenhall Tick, Lord Drown's Bang Drake too Mars, Grace Jill, Bounce Lord Derby's Drake and Duchess Lord Litchfield's Daisy Barclay Field's Riot Mr. Price's Rose Garth's Might too and many other field trial and bench show winners he was also the grand sire of Mr. Field's Drake and pride and of Mr. Pilkington's Garnet and Faust the latter being imported to this country cost of $2,250 and becoming one of our most valuable dogs and a most excellent and pre-potent sire another prominent pointer in England was R.J. Lloyd Price's Bell a handsome liver and white bitch bred in 1870 by Lord Henry Bentinch out of Grouse by his ranger this bitch weighed 55 pounds stood 24 inches at the shoulder and measured 3 feet 2 and 3 quarters inches from nose to root of tail her reputation is based chiefly on her field trial performances which is very much to her credit and having been very successful in competition with the setters it may prove interesting to give a portion of her record which is as follows county steaks for all age bitches at Veynol Field Trials 1872 and with Judy the banger steaks for pointer braces at the same meeting county steaks for all aged pointer bitches at the national pointer and setter field trials held at Cumbermeal, Shoesbury April 29th, 1873 and with her daughter Grecian Bend the actor in Reynold steaks for pointer braces at the same meeting also at the Grouse Field Trials 1873 she won second with Roman Fall her son in the Pennlean steaks for braces August 13th and first in the row list steaks for all aged pointers and setters August 16th beating Mr. McDonough's ranger Mr. Llewellyn's Countess and Flex Mr. Stedders, Rob Roy and other celebrated animals after which performance she was withdrawn from public competition and used for breeding purposes only at the Veynol Trials in 1872 this wonderful bitch made a perfect score on the following basis of work nose, 30 pace and style of hunting 20, breaking, 20 style and steadiness in pointing 15, backing 10, drawing on game or roading 5, total 100 Belle was rather too light in muzzle and head to suit many of our modern critics and lacked heaviness of bone and a certain coarseness that many experts have possessed but she represented a very successful type and weight of dog of which we have ourselves owned and shot over many grand specimens it is a question whether a resort to her type might not do away with much of the pottering and heel work in which many of the present field trial dogs are so expert what the pointer needs is more dash, vim, energy love of his work and less lumber to carry with him lengthening out and narrowing and less stockiness and bulkiness of form the fact has long ago been demonstrated that the long narrow deep chested dog well ribbed behind and properly set on his legs with the correspondingly rakish head is the proper type of dog to breed for speed and endurance combined field qualities much has been written concerning the field qualities of the pointer especially when compared with the setter but general public sentiment seems to have accorded to him a place by no means inferior to that of any breed of sporting dogs there is no question that for all the purposes to which a dog hunting to a gun can be employed the pointer has no superior his excellent nose, his great staunchness his power of endurance his ability to go without water for a long time strongly recommend his use for general shooting while it may be true that his coat does not so well adapt him for constant use in briary thickets and rough mountainous countries yet per contra this very shortness of coat constitutes his strongest recommendation in warm climates for summer shooting are in open sections of country where cockle burrs, sand fleas, nettles and other pests which annoy the long haired dog most abound on this point forester in his field sports says quote the pointer's skin becomes infinitely tender and his whole frame more delicate and fine drawn by high breeding but so much does he gang thereby in pluck and courage that I have seen pure blood dogs of this strain tearing away through cat brow breaks literally bleeding at every poor and whimpering with pain while great coarse-bred hairy brutes of six times their apparent power of frame and capacities of endurance slunk away like curse as they were unable to face the thorns end quote it is also true that the pointer's feet are not so well padded as the setters but nature seems to have provided for that by increasing the thickness and toughness of the flesh and skin of the foot enabling it to stand a great amount of work before becoming tender it must also be remembered that the round compact foot of the well-bred pointer is inherently stronger and more enduring than the weak and loosely constructed hair foot of many strains of setters besides the pointer has inherited the foot of the fox hand which for a hundred years or more has been cultivated and developed to withstand hard usage and constant wear in the field trials of 1889 held in Ireland under the auspices of the Irish setter club and on the roughest of moors and heathery mountain sides the pointer bitches Perdita and Mopsa and Devonshire lady and Sal carried off the first and second prizes in the brace stakes and Mopsa and champion cup valued at 20 guineas over some of the best Irish and English setters in Ireland this also during stormy raw and most disagreeable weather Devonshire Sal also won the final stake in the derby for both pointers and setters so far as the field trials are concerned the pointer has not as a general rule been as successful as the English setter because one he has not been entered in equal numbers and two so much time and money have not been expended in his development and three because as a rule he does not start off to his work with the snap and dash of the setter is not at first so wide and extensive in his range is often beaten before he has really gotten to work by his more showy and dashing competitor so long as field trials are conducted under artificial rules thoroughly at variance with practical and continued work and so long as the tendency to run fast from the word go is considered the point of highest excellence the pointer may preferably be kept in the background for the use of those gentlemen who are not born with wings who do not hunt on horseback and who require a careful moderately fast dog and possessive excellent nose thoroughly staunch and capable of doing a whole day's work or more without tiring it is generally admitted that the pointer is more naturally inclined to point and at an earlier age than the setter that he is more easily broken more obedient retains his training longer and endures punishment with greater fortitude than the setter it is also our observation and experience that the pointer is as refined of the water as the setter and can be as easily trained to enter it for retrieving purposes many instances have been related illustrating the remarkable staunchness of the pointer Pluto and Juno pointers owned by Colonel Thornton and early sportsmen of England are said to have held a point for one hour and a quarter while being sketched by Mr. Gilpin by whom they were afterwards painted for their owner tells us of other pointers that did not break their point for five and twelve hours respectively and also relates the case of another pointer who in 1814 was frozen to death while on point quoting as authority a relative of his own who claims to have witnessed the fact while journeying from Leicester to Oxford during the memorable frost of that year with regard to the field qualities of the modern pointer a great deal of nonsense has been written by men who ought to have known better Frank Forrester has been the means of handing down a great many fallacies promulgated by early writers and has himself given utterance to views regarding the pointer which are as absurd as they are fanciful and unreal the fact is that a great deal that has been written nowadays concerning both the setter and the pointer is but the echo of ancient fallacies espoused by early writers of the modern dog and whose opinions are unsubstantiated by practical experience for instance Dr. E. J. Lewis who edited an American edition of Yonat on the dog in 1863 says quote the pointer displays but little fondness for those by whom he is surrounded and hunts equally as well for a stranger as for his master when the fact is that the exact contrary is true in both instances as to average specimens of the breed the writer has never owned more affectionate and faithful canine friends than his pointers and none that were more loyal to him, more averse to making new acquaintances or to working for strangers he is further constrained to say that some of the best dogs he ever owned or saw in the field were pointers and he has never been called upon to admit the inferiority of the pointer in any kind of shooting in which it gives a gentleman pleasure to indulge whether in winter or summer the dog has been bred for many generations in the south and in antebellum days was recognized as the genuine canine aristocrat of that section Frank Forester admits that more of the blood of the old Spanish pointer is to be found in the dog commonly used in this country than in the English breed and it is largely to that fact that the special excellencies of many of our native strains are to be ascribed the fine field qualities of the pointer cannot be better or more fittingly described than in the following eloquent language of idstone quote he is the model of beauty worthy of the capital material from which he has descended he is to be found now in every kennel of mark with all the attributes and properties of the highest class and with intelligence and observation deserving the name of reason his lashing stern his fine range his magnificent dead stop on game his rapid turn to catch the wind of the body sent his perseverance under the trying sun to reach a faint and hardly perceptible stain of game born to him on the breeze his glorious attitude as he becomes directly his widespread nostrils assure him he is right stiff and motionless with limbs widespread head aloft stern held high and his implicit obedience to the lessons he learned perhaps two or three seasons past all these wonderful gifts put him on a level with that paragon of hounds with which he claims relationship and such is the pointer of the present day as he is to be found in the kennels of mr. white house of ipsy court in warwick shire of lord litchfield mr. garth mr. vernin derby shire or mr. brockton of fernden a better dog than those whose bounce I never saw on game end of section five the pointer part one